NCAA: Knights send off Stags, set up do-or-die with Pirates for right to face Red Lions in finals

By WAYLON GALVEZ

Games Friday (Cuneta Astrodome, Pasay City)

1 p.m. – SSC-R vs Lyceum (Jrs)

4 p.m. – Lyceum vs Letran (Srs)

 

Letran overcame RK Ilagan’s career-best 37 points, showing poise in the final moments to oust San Sebastian 85-80 in the NCAA Season 95 stepladder playoffs Tuesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Heroes abound for Letran, which had six players in double digits. It was, however , guard Fran Yu who made the big plays down the stretch to keep their title aspirations alive.

With the Stags threatening to turn things around in the final frame, particularly after Ilagan buried his seventh three-point basket off the glass that trimmed Letran’s lead to 81-80, Yu’s heads-up plays punctuated the resiliency of the Knights in the do-or-die encounter.

Yu first converted a fast break off a feed from Bonbon Batiller to give Letran an 83-80 lead with 59.8 seconds left.

After the two teams exchanged missed shots and turnovers, including one when Yu forced Ilagan to commit a backcourt violation, the 5-foot-10 guard got the rebound against the 6-foot-6 Jim Calma following two missed free throws from graduating forward Jerrick Balanza.

Fouled by Ken Villapando, Yu then sank two free throws to make it 85-80 with 10.2 seconds to play, which crushed the Stags’ hopes.

The win sent Letran to the second stage of the stepladder playoffs where it faces No. 2 seed Lyceum of the Philippines University in another knockout match on Friday at the same venue.

The winner will advance to the best-of-three finals series against defending three-time champion San Beda University starting Nov. 12.

The Red Lions clinched an outright finals berth after going 18-0 in the eliminations.

“I trust all my players, lalo na yung mga graduating players,” said Letran’s first-year mentor Bonnie Tan, referring to Balanza, Batiller, center Christian Balagasay and guard Tommy Olivario.

“Gusto pa nila maglaro (graduating players) so may practice pa kami. Going to the game, hindi namin naiisip yung LPU, unahin namin yung San Sebastian. We’ll talk about it sa ensayo.”

Balanza came off the bench to lead Letran with 15 points and six rebounds, Batiller contributed 14 points, Allen Mina had 12 points on 4-of-9 shooting from three-point area, while Muyang had 11 points.

Ato Ular and Yu added 10 points each.

While the 5-foot-8 Ilagan was nearly unstoppable as he made 12-of-20 from the perimeter, his partner Allyn Bulanadi was held to 15 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the field against different defenders that included Batiller.

“Inilagay ko sa isip ko na bantayan si Allyn. Sabi ko sa mga coaches ako na ang kukuha kay Allyn in the second half. Papunta sa game na ito siya lang pinaghahandaan ko kasi sobrang galing ni Allyn,” said Batiller.

Scores:

LETRAN 85 – Balanza 15, Batiller 14, Mina 12, Muyang 11, Ular 10, Yu 10, Caralipio 9, Balagasay 4, Ambohot 0, Olivario 0, Reyson 0, Sangalang 0, Javillonar 0.

SAN SEBASTIAN 80 – Ilagan 36, Bulanadi 15, Villapando 8, Calahat 7, Capobres 5, Altamirano 5, Desoyo 2, Sumoda 1, Cosari 1, Calma 0, Isidro 0.

Quarters: 23-20; 50-40; 69-59; 85-80.

Source: Manila Bulletin