NCAA: Letran repeats last year's mastery of Perpetual to open Season 102 bid

Colegio de San Juan de Letran pulled away late to carve an 84-77 win against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in the NCAA Season 102 on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The defense clicked late for the Knights, setting the stage for a 10-3 closing run that allowed the Muralla crew to narrowly survive the same team they beat in the Final Four to reach the finals last year.

The veterans ran the show for the Knights with Jimboy Estrada unleashing four triples to finish with 18 points laced with four rebounds and six assists while Kevin Santos and Titing Manalili churned out 15 and 12 markers apiece.

However, a pair of new faces also showed a lot of promise for this already-stacked Letran side.

Denzil Walker sizzled for 21 points on an impressive 5-of-9 shooting from downtown before he was fouled late midway through the fourth, while rookie Justin Cargo had eight markers laced with four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks.

"At least we got that first win so ayun lang, we're trying to process this and to get better one game at a time. Eventually nag-click 'yung depensa namin," Letran head coach Allen Ricardo said.

"We need to get back to work, especially ang liit ng lineup namin. 'Yun lang 'yung sandata namin, na pressure, pressure, pressure."

Perpetual revisited the pain of last year's semifinals loss to Letran and kept it close throughout the game with LA Casinillo, JD Pagulayan, and Angelo Gelsano torching the Knights from downtown.

Gelsano and Casinillo fired a triple each to bring the ALTAs to a 66-61 lead early in the payoff period, but Manalili scored on an and-one and Walker fired a triple to force a deadlock. Cargo then converted four straight points but Pagulayan hit another long bomb to tie things up at 74-all.

But Letran, drawing from that same experience, knew exactly how to weather the storm and eventually break away.

Cargo came up with two crucial blocks on Pagulayan and JM Tulabut, forcing a pair of turnovers that allowed the Knights to unload a 7-0 run and capture an 81-74 lead in the final 43.7 seconds.

Pagulayan answered with another three-pointer, but Cargo and Santos were steady on the line to complete the victory.

Sophomore Pagulayan top-scored Perpetual with 18 points while Gelsano and Casinillo both chipped in 11 markers in the losing cause.

Scores:

Letran 84 - Walker 21, Estrada 18, Santos 15, Manalili 12, Cargo 8, Buensalida 5, Gammad 3, Diamante 2, Montecillo 0, Reyes 0 , Hugo 0.

Perpetual 77 - Pagulayan 18, Gelsano 11, Casinillo 11, Gojo Cruz 8, Tulabut 8, Orgo 7, Borja 6, Cauguiran 3, Cristino 3, Maglupay 2, Duremdes 0, Roluna 0, Corpuz 0.

—JKC, GMA News