All roads led to a dream finals matchup in NCAA Season 101 and even before tip-off, it already promises to be a battle for the ages between two teams widely regarded as league powerhouses.
San Beda University and Colegio de San Juan de Letran, two of the most decorated basketball teams in the NCAA, are set to lock horns in a best-of-three finals duel starting this Wednesday.
Here's a look into some of the numbers behind their storied rivalry:
10-7
That’s the head-to-head finals record between the Red Lions and the Knights with San Beda holding a slight edge over Letran, according to league statistician Pong Ducanes.
In the Final Four era, San Beda and Letran have faced off in the NCAA championship round five times, with the Red Lions winning three titles and Letran taking the other two.
From Season 82 to Season 90, San Beda won all the titles but one after San Sebastian College-Recoletos snagged the crown from them in Season 85. Of those nine straight finals runs, San Beda duked it out with Letran thrice in Season 83, Season 88, and Season 89, all of which saw them emerge as top seeds on the way to seizing the throne.
But the Knights would avenge those losses when the two teams met again in the finals years after.
Letran pulled off a major upset in Season 91 when they stunned top-seeded San Beda in the finals behind head coach Aldin Ayo and stars Rey Nambatac, Kevin Racal, Jerrick Balanza, and Mark Cruz, ending a 10-year title drought.
Letran repeated the feat in Season 95, braving through the stepladder before knocking out the Red Lions in the finals to hoist the first of its three-peat.
6 years
It’s been that long since fans last saw these two storied programs face off in the finals. Make no mistake, San Beda and Letran have been a consistent force in the NCAA.
The Red Lions, in particular, hold the longest Final Four streak, marking their 18th straight playoff appearance in Season 101. They have reached the finals 16 times and claimed the championship in 12 of those for a record 23 seniors basketball titles.
Letran has also been a mainstay in championship contention, with 20 NCAA titles to their name, highlighted by a remarkable three-peat across Seasons 95, 97, and 98.
1
But it all boils down to this one series—a best-of-three battle that will determine which of these storied programs claims NCAA Season 101 glory.
Letran heads into the series as the likely favorite, boasting a roster many fans have dubbed an ‘all-star’ lineup with Titing Manalili, Jimboy Estrada, Deo Cuajao, Jun Roque, Kevin Santos, and Mark Denver Omega.
The Knights enter the finals riding a six-game winning streak, having swept their way through the quarterfinals against twice-to-beat Arellano University and the semifinals against top-seeded Perpetual.
The Red Lions, meanwhile, emerged as the best team in Group B after the preliminary phase but had to survive the Benilde Blazers in Game 3 of their Final Four bracket thanks to the one-two punch of Janti Miller and Yuki Andrada.
With both teams carrying legacies rich in success, the Season 101 finals are shaping up to be one for the books.
Whether it’s Letran’s stacked lineup or San Beda’s championship pedigree, the battle ahead promises nothing less than a top-tier collegiate basketball.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
