Knights End Red Lion’s Reign, Wrests NCAA 91 Basketball Title

After three grueling games, the Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights captured it’s first title in 10 years over the San Beda Red Lions last October 29 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The Knights ended the 5-year reign of the Red Lions, whom they also battled for the title in Seasons 88 and 89.

At the start of the season, nobody tagged Letran as one of the title favorites. Even the players themselves admitted their goal was to only reach the final-four. They could only dream of a semifinals appearance as their team does not have any foreign reinforcements, and their center is only about 6’4. Realistically, they wouldn’t stand a chance to match up against the likes of SBC’s Adeogun, JRU’s Abdulwahab, and AU’s Holts. Not to mention, more foreign reinforcements are bound to debut like UPHDS’s Akhuetie, and JRU’s Poutouochi, and MIT’s Allwell Oraeme. But during one of their team building sessions prior to the season, rookie-coach Aldin Ayo asked his team “Naniniwala ba kayo na mag-champion tayo?” Nobody from the team responded. Even Mark Cruz laughed at his coach’s question.

The only big news in the offseason for the Knights was the entry of Filipino boxing icon, Manny Pacquiao, as the Letran Knights chief backer. Pacquiao, who also bankrolls the Powervit Pilipinas Aguilas basketball team in the Asean Basketball League (ABL) and the playing coach of Mahindra Enforcers in the PBA, has now put up his presence in college basketball by supporting the Letran Knights. According to Letran’s Athletic Moderator and NCAA Mancomm representative Fr. Vic Calvo, Pacquiao’s presence is a big boost for Letran’s campaign in the NCAA. “Pacquiao is one of the biggest benefactors in sports. He is also known for being very supportive and helpful in developing young athletes to be great players in the future,” adds Calvo.

Letran won its first game of the season over the College of St. Benilde Blazers by a mile, 82-53. But then, no one still cared as they beat a team that lost 7 players to graduation and Coach Ayo was still introducing his “magulong sistema” to the NCAA. Such disruptive was their defensive system was that it was able to produce 33 turnovers for their opponents.

Then they beat pre-tournament favorites JRU Heavy Bombers. That was when everyone took notice of the Knights. The players themselves were even astonished of their accomplishment, that they started to believe winning is doable. Then they beat powerhouse teams Arellano, Perpetual and San Beda. They would eventually finish the first round with 8-1 win-loss record bowing only to the lowly EAC Generals.

As the teams learned their lessons in the first round, Letran became a target. Their opponents would find solution and patterns to Letran’s “disorganized” offense and defense. At the end of the second round, they wound up tied with San Beda with 13-5 win-loss record and played against them for the third time of the season to determine who gets the top seed of the eliminations. They lost to San Beda, 83-78, and would settle for second seed armed with a twice-to-beat advantage and face Mapua in the Final Four.

In the semifinals, San Beda faced JRU while Letran and NCAA Season 91 host Mapua squared-off. In the first semis match, Letran proved steadier in clutch as they ousted tournament host Mapua 91-90. Mark Cruz hit 24 points while Kevin Racal had 19 points and 12 rebounds. Exi Biteng top-scored for the Cardinals with 17 points on 5-of-10 three-point shooting while Josan Nimes, who played his final game as a Cardinal, had 15 points. In the other semis match, San Beda ended JRU’s dramatic season with a 78-68 victory. JRU, who found themselves at the brink of an early vacation at the middle of the tournament, won their final 6 games of the eliminations to make it into the semis. They however succumbed to Mapua in the battle for the third spot and had to hurdle past San Beda in order for them to make it into the finals. Four players scored in double-digits for San Beda with Baser Amer and Dan Sara leading the charge with 11 points a piece. JRU was led by Marco Balagtas’ 14 points. Teodoro and Pontejos, who were responsible for JRU’s resurrection in the second round managed to score only 9 and 6 points respectively.

Before the NCAA finals started, the NCAA feted the best performers of the 91st Season. Mapua’s Allwell Oraeme, who finished the season with 16.3 ppg, and league-best 20.3 rpg and 2.9 bpg, dominated the awarding ceremonies as he was named the Rookie-of-the-Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Member of the All-Defensive and Mythical teams, and Most Valuable Player. The 19-year old slotman from Mapua also became the first ROY and MVP winner of the same year since Sam Ekwe did the feat back in 2006. Rounding off the All-Defensive Team are Arth Dela Cruz (SBC), Bright Akhuetie and Scottie Thompson (UPHDS), and Bradwyn Guinto (SSCR). The Mythical team members aside from Oraeme are Bright Akhuetie, Arth Dela Cruz, Jiovani Jalalon, and Scottie Thompson. Michael Calisaan of San Sebastian took home the Most Improved Player honors.

In the first game, Letran rode on the career-game of Kevin Racal to beat San Beda 94-90. It was a literally a shootout as Letran engaged the defending champions to a three-point shooting game in the final period. The Knights prevailed as they made 5 straight three-pointers against San Beda’s 3 straight. In the end-game, Mark Cruz converted on his charities before Dan Sara released another three point shot that cut the deficit to 2 points. Rey Nambatac then cut into the basket to get the pass and converted on his layup to ice the game for the Knights. Kevin Racal scored a career-high 28 points and had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals. Nambatac and Cruz ably supported him with 18 and 17 points respectively. Ola Adaogun had a huge game for the Mendiola-based dribblers with 23 points and 16 rebounds. But pro-bound players Baser Amer and Arth Dela Cruz could only manage to score 8 and 7 points respectively. Coach Aldin Ayo praised his boys at the end of the game for a scintillating performance. “We will finish this off on Tuesday” said Ayo. On the other hand, Coach Jamike Jarin could only blame himself for the loss. “I didn’t prepare the boys for this kind of game” says Jarin.

With their backs against the wall, the Red Lions got back at their tormentors as they evened the series with a 68-61 victory. Right from the get go, Amer and Dela Cruz obviously wanted to redeem themselves after a lackluster Game 1 performance as they scored at will over the defense of Letran. In the third quarter, Letran’s Mark Cruz provided the spark as he scored on consecutive baskets to snatch the lead from San Beda. But sophomore Jayvee Mocon responded to Mark Cruz’s challenge as he scored 8 straight points to regain the lead for San Beda. From them on, the Red Lions never relinquished the lead as they finished-off Letran to arrange a winner-take-all game scheduled 2 days later. Adeogun paced San Beda with 14 points while Mocon finished with 13. Mark Cruz finished the game with 21 points for Letran. Racal scored only 9 points after scoring 28 in their previous game while Nambatac went scoreless missing all 6 of his field goal attempts and 6 free throws.

After less than 48-hours, the Mendiola and the Muralla based dribblers squared-off again for the final game of the NCAA season. This time, the game wasn’t settled in regulation and an extra 5 minutes was needed to determine the champion. Letran, who was coming off an off-shooting game finally hit their marks as they toppled San Beda, 85-82, to capture it’s 17th overall title of the NCAA.

The road to victory didn’t come easy for Letran as they gave up an 8-point lead with less than 2 minutes remaining behind Ola Adeogun and Baser Amer’s clutch performances forcing the game to go into overtime. With the game close, Racal scored on 2 consecutive 3 pointers while Mark Cruz hit a corner three to take a 75-67 lead with 1:53 remaining in the game. Baser Amer then carried San Beda to his shoulders as he scored and fed Adeogun to trim the lead to 2. Then Amer stripped of Luib to go all the way to the basket to tie the game. Visibly shaken with the turn of events, Coach Ayo tried his best to calm his boys during his final timeout. “Mark, atin pa rin ito” a smiling Ayo told his prized guard in the huddle as he drew the final play. But the final play went to naught as San Beda defended well and forced the game into overtime.

In OT, Amer this time teamed up with Mocon as they built a 82-79 lead entering the final minute. Racal would trim the lead to 1 on his free throws in the succeeding possession. San Beda would then fail to score after Racal’s free throws paving the way for the Jom Sollano’s corner jumper to snatch the lead from San Beda 83-82. After failing to score again, San Beda was forced to foul sending Sollano to the line. He made his first but a lane violation was called after he missed second his free throw awarding the possession to Letran prompting San Beda to foul again. Mark Cruz sealed the game with his first free throw as San Beda tried to make a desperation heave with 3.7 seconds remaining but missed.

Jubilation erupted for Letran after the final buzzer ending the six-peat title hopes of San Beda. “Tayo naman! Tama na ang pasakit” said an emotional Coach Aldin, referring to the losses of Letran to San Beda in the finals of Seasons 88 and 89.

Kevin Racal, who is now bound to play for the Alaska Aces in the PBA, made a farewell performance of 23 points. Undersized big man Jom Sollano, who obviously didn’t have the size to control Ola Adeogun, made the biggest performance of his NCAA career with 19 points and limited Adeogun to 13 points on his final game. Mark Cruz, who was later adjudged as the Finals MVP for his consistency throughout the series scored 14 points on his final game. Rey Nambatac, who tasted his first scoreless game in the NCAA since his junior days, redeemed himself and scored 13 points. PBA bound players Arth Dela Cruz and Baser Amer scored 15 and 14 points respectively for San Beda. Dela Cruz, who will now be playing for Blackwater in the PBA also registered 13 rebounds and 8 assists for his final game.

With Racal and Cruz gone for Letran next year, Coach Aldin Ayo has set his sights on Rey Nambatac to lead his team to defend the title next year. Nambatac will team up with Sollano and Luib and a championship experienced crew of Calvo, Quinto, Apreku, Balanza & Balagasay in their quest for a back-to-back title and 18th overall in the NCAA.

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