By Kevin Estrada
San Sebastian went giant-killing on the second day of the NCAA Season 100 Men’s Basketball Tournament, as they mounted a huge fourth-quarter rally to stun old rival Letran in a 91-84 decision at the FilOil-EcoOil Centre Sunday afternoon, September 8.
The Golden Stags outscored the Knights 28-9 in the last quarter to give coach Arvin Bonleon a winning debut on the collegiate ranks, while he ended a long wait for revenge that traced back to his playing days.
“Every time maglaro, we take [it] as a championship,” said the Davao native, who teamed up with eventual PBA legend Rodney Santos for the Stags that finished runner-up to Letran in 1992.
Bonleon eventually missed out on Baste’s glorious five-peat run in the 90s the year after in which Santos played a huge part in the first two titles there.
Junior guard Rafael Are led all players with 30 points on a 60% (9/15) field goal shooting, as they proved their doubters wrong about their preseason expectations.
“Yung tingin nila samin, nasa baba kami. Kaya yun yung nagpa-boost sa amin na kaya namin manalo every game,” he then said, as he took charge in the payoff period by outperforming the Knights all by hitting ten points there, and then added six rebounds and six assists to his stellar line.
The Pampanga native had ample help with Harold Ricio and Tristan Felebrico hitting 14 points apiece, and Raymart Escobido then added 13 for San Sebastian.
Allen Ricardo’s Letran was led by the duo of James Jumao-As and Kobe Monje, who hit for 16 apiece for the Knights as they enjoyed their largest lead at 14, 77-63 on a Rafael Go putback early in the final canto.
But that proved to be the final hurrah for the Knights as San Sebastian switched on a different gear, and went on the rest of the way, as a pair of huge scoring runs saw them grabbed their first win.
The scores:
SAN SEBASTIAN 91 – Are 30, Ricio 14, Felebrico 14, Escobido 13, R. Gabat 8, Velasco 4, L. Gabat 4, Aguilar 2, Barroga 2, Suico 0, Lintol 0, Maliwat 0, Pascual 0
LETRAN 84 – Monje 16, Jumao-As 16, Estrada 14, Montecillo 9, Santos 7, Go 7, Dimaano 6, Cuajao 5, Galoy 4, Delfino 0, Nunag 0, Pradella 0, Baliling 0
Quarter scores: 30-24, 52-48, 75-63, 91-84
