Kobe Monje’s effort finally translated to a win as the Colegio de San Juan de Letran held off a fourth quarter rally from Arellano University, 67-58, to end its losing slump in NCAA Season 99 on Tuesday.
Monje finished with 13 points alongside three rebounds, four assist, and one steal while rookie guard Jay Garupil chipped in nine markers, right boards, and three dimes to make up for the absence of main guard and team captain Kurt Reyson, who remains on the injury list.
With the win, Letran put an end to a seven-game losing streak to bag just its second win of the season and improve to a 2-14 card. Arellano, meanwhile, dropped to 2-13.
Letran seemed to learn its lessons from their previous games, in several of which they would establish leads only to see them slip away en route to a loss.
Against the equally-hungry Chiefs, Monje led the way as the Knights turned a 40-32 halftime lead to a 51-34 cushion in the third with the sophomore cager powering an 11-2 run.
Deo Cuajao, who was 0-of-4 from the field in the first half, completed a four-point play chance that sent Letran to a 64-45 cushion early in the payoff period before the Chiefs unleashed a wild 13-1 rampage to slice the gap to a single digit, 65-58, with a minute left.
Kevin Santos then stopped the bleeding after drawing an and-one bucket to ice the game for the first embattled Knights.
Cuajao chipped in with eight points despite going just 1-of-10 from the field while Ira Batallier and Santos chimed in with eight and seven markers apiece.
Letran has two more games in the elimination, taking on De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in a finals rematch on Sunday before ending its campaign next Friday against San Beda University.
The scores:
Letran 67 - Monje 13, Garupil 13, Cuajao 8, Battalier 8, Santos 7, Go 6, Jumao-as 6, Bojorcelo 5, Javillonar 5, Ariar 0.
Arellano 58 - Abastillas 9, Sunga 9, Mallari 7, Talampas 6, Capulong 5, Yanes 5, Tan 5, Villarente 4, Geronimo 4, Dayrit 2, Dela Cruz 2, Camay 0, Ongotan 0, Rosalin 0.
Quarters: 25-15, 40-32, 56-42, 67-58.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
