23 July 2019
By Maxine Louise Lagman
MANILA, Philippines – Colegio de San Juan de Letran almost lost the game, but they pulled through in the second half to defeat Emilio Aguinaldo College, 91-89, in the NCAA Season 95 men’s basketball tournament, Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.
The Knights were down 15 in the first half, but they managed to erase that in the second half. With Jerrick Balanza leading the way, Letran managed to come out stronger in the third quarter, outscoring the Generals, 30-17, for a 68-65 advantage.
EAC, with Marwin Taywan and Jethro Mendoza knocking down crucial baskets in the final seconds of the game, pulled the team within one, 89-90. Letran’s defenses proved too strong to demolish, which made it harder for the Generals to run for a comeback.
With a chance to tie the match, Renz Gonzales unfortunately missed all his freebies, while Bonbon Batiller answered back with a split from his own, signaling the win for the Knights.
“Talagang ‘yung convincing win, ‘di pa makuha, but again, we’re still learning,” Letran head coach Bonnie Tan said.
Balanza led Letran with 22 points. Ato Ular finished with 19 markers and nine boards, while Larry Muyang had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the win.
On the other hand, Taywan had a game-high 25 points, along with four rebounds and three steals as the Generals lost back-to-back games, dropping to a 1-3 slate.
The Scores:
LETRAN 91 – Balanza 22, Ular 19, Batiller 17, Muyang 16, Yu 8, Mina 5, Caralipio 2, Ambohot 1, Javillonar 1, Olivario 0, Reyson 0, Sangalang 0, Balagasay 0
EAC 89 – Taywan 25, Gonzales 13, Maguliano 10, Luciano 8, Dayrit 7, Tampoc 6, Mendoza 5, Martin 5, Gurtiza 2, De Guzman 2, Boffa 2, Corilla 2, Cadua 2
QUARTER SCORES: 15-20, 38-48, 68-65, 91-89
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