BENILDE SECURES TOP SPOT WITH REVENGE WIN OVER LETRAN, 83-78
The College of Saint Benilde Blazers solidified their lead in the NCAA Season 100 Seniors Basketball Tournament standings, avenging an earlier loss to Colegio de San Juan de Letran with a hard-fought 83-78 victory on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The win marked Benilde’s seventh consecutive triumph, moving them to a 13-2 record and strengthening their claim to the top spot. The matchup was a chance for redemption after Letran's Kevin Santos hit a game-winning shot in their previous encounter, handing the Blazers a narrow 71-69 defeat. This time, with Santos out due to injury, Benilde seized the opportunity to dominate.
The game initially looked grim for Benilde, as Letran surged to a 14-point lead in the first quarter. However, the Blazers regrouped and erupted in the second quarter, outscoring the Knights 32-10 to flip the script and establish a 47-37 advantage by halftime.
In a tense final quarter, Benilde seemed to have the game in hand, leading 81-72 with just 40 seconds remaining. But Letran's Paolo Javillonar, who was on fire throughout the game, buried a three-pointer, cutting the lead to six. Benilde's Allen Liwag answered with a layup, only for Deo Cuajao to respond with another triple, bringing the Knights within five, 83-78, with 14 seconds left. Benilde kept their composure, skillfully moving the ball to run down the clock and secure the win.
Head coach Charles Tiu commended his team’s resilience in overcoming their sluggish start and praised their adjustments against Letran’s strong opening.
“We kept reminding them how important this game was to us,” Tiu said. “Yung strong start ng Letran, part of it also was our focus kasi nagtatapon kami ng bola. We talked about mga adjustments na gusto namin, kung paano namin sila aatakihin, and thankfully nag-adjust, nagawa ng mga bata. We did a good job passing the ball and nasunog rin namin yung press nila.”
Benilde’s frontcourt stood tall, with Liwag leading the charge, posting 20 points and eight rebounds. Justine Sanchez added 16 points and six boards, while Mark Sangco contributed 11 points off the bench to help lift the Blazers over their longtime rivals.
The Blazers now shift their focus to San Beda University, whom they face next on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
For the Knights, Javillonar was a standout, setting a new career-high with 31 points, including eight three-pointers. Jimboy Estrada added 13 points, although he struggled with his shooting, connecting on just three of his 14 attempts. Cuajao also contributed with 10 points.
The loss dropped Letran to a 7-9 record, putting them in a precarious position in the race for the Final Four. They’ll look to rebound against Arellano University on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m.
