San Beda University came out inspired, outplaying top seed and rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 91-77, in NCAA Season 98 on Wednesday.
The Red Lions shot 14-of-31 from three-point range for a sizzling 45.2% clip as they snapped the Knights' nine-game winning streak.
James Kwekuteye scored a game-high 19 points, including four treys, to lead San Beda while Damie Cuntapay went a perfect 4-of-4 on triples to finish with 16 of his own.
Five other Red Lions buried three-pointers in an impressive shooting display for the team.
San Beda ascended to 11-5 while Letran aborbed its fourth loss to go 12-4.
San Beda was hitting on all cylinders in the first half as the Mendiola crew built a 17-point lead after a 50-33 halftime lead.
Cuntapay got things going right from the start as he scored 11 points and three triples in the first quarter alone. Kwekuteye and Yukien Andrada then led the way in a dominant second period where the Red Lions put up 28 points on the board while limiting the Knights to just 14.
Cuntapay and Kwekuteye both had 13 points each by the halftime break. Kurt Reyson and Fran Yu paced Letran with eight and six markers apiece, but Letran could not keep up early in the game.
Back-to-back triples from Andrey Guarino and Reyson cut Letran’s deficit to just 15, 67-52, in the second half but four straight freebies from Andrada and Tony Ynot made it a 71-52 spread for the Red Lions.
Letran continued to put up some fight in the fourth as King Caralipio drilled five straight points, 74-61.
But Gab Cometa and Andrada lit it up late, accounting for 12 straight points as San Beda saw its lead stretch to 20, 89-69, with 2:27 left.
Letran could not recover from that as San Beda completed the win over its longtime rival.
Andrada finished with 15 points while JB Bahio posted 10 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists for San Beda.
Caralipio scored 14 markers to lead Letran while Reyson added 11.
The scores:
San Beda 91 - Kwekuteye 19, Cuntapay 16, Andrada 15, Bahio 10, Cometa 10, Ynot 8, Cortez 5, Alfaro 3, Sanchez 3, Visser 2, Payosing 0, Jopia 0.
Letran 77 - Caralipio 15, Reyson 11, Yu 10, Paraiso 8, Sangalang 8, Guarinio 8, Monje 6, Olivario 5, Ariar 3, Tolentino 2, Javillonar 2, Santos 0, Go 0.
Quarters: 22-19, 50-33, 71-52, 91-77.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
