San Sebastian rallies to stun Letran, 91-84
Games on Tuesday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
11 a.m. – UPHSD vs JRU
2:30 p.m. – CSB vs San Beda
SAN SEBASTIAN College-Recoletos (SSC-R) never got a single mention when media men asked all participating coaches who they think are the team or teams to beat in NCAA Season 100 basketball during the press conference a few days before.
Rookie coach Arvin Bonleon and the ambitious Stags made sure they would not be left unnoticed again.
This after SSC-R clawed back from a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to stun a dazed San Juan de Letran University, 91-84, on Sunday that sent it into Final Four conversation at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.
Rafael Are presided over the fourth-period uprising by dropping 10 of his masterful 30-point performance in that critical stretch that saw the Stags fighting back from 12 points down and stealing the victory.
Mr. Are’s fourth-quarter brilliance completely owned the Knights, who shaved their nates bald hoping to replicate what their Squires counterparts have done when they claimed back-to-back NCAA crowns.
Intriguingly, Letran has brought into the seniors’ program the same coach that made its high school squad’s success possible — Allen Ricardo.
It worked for a while though as the energetic Knights just dominated the Stags the first three quarters when the former seized a 75-63 lead.
It proved to be Letran’s last as Mr. Are and the Stags went on a 28-9 rampage in the last canto to send SSC-R to its first win this season and straight to the top alongside opening day victors San Beda University — the reigning titlists — and College of St. Benilde.
Harold Ricio and Tristan Felebrico chipped in 14 points apiece for the Stags, who are hoping to improve their eight-place finish and 6-12 mark last year and make the Final Four this time.
Meanwhile, NCAA Management Committee Chair Herc Callanta of host Lyceum of the Philippines University on Sunday said they are investigating the mauling of a league referee right after the CSB-Mapua game inside the MOA Arena Saturday.
“As far as details are concerned, we don’t have details yet and we have to verify those,” said Mr. Callanta. — Joey Villar
The scores:
First Game
SSC-R 91 – Are 30, Ricio 14, Felebrico 14, Escobido 13, Re. Gabat 8, Velasco 4, L. Gabat 4, Aguilar 2, Barroga 2, Maliwat 0, Suico 0, Lintol 0, Pascual 0
Letran 84 – Monje 16, Jumao-as 14, Estrada 14, Montecillo 9, Santos 7, Go 7, Dimaano 6, Cuajao 5, Galoy 4, Delfino 0, Nunag 0, Pradella 0, Baliling 0
Quarter scores: 24-30; 48-52; 63-75; 91-84