NCAA: Aldous Torculas catches fire late as San Beda escapes Letran in OT thriller

Aldous Torculas caught fire from deep late to bail San Beda University out against rival Letran in overtime, 74-65, in the NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Torculas fired three triples, one that tied the game in regulation and two more that put the game away in the extra period, as the defending champions Red Lions reasserted their mastery over the Knights in a rematch of last year’s finals.

Torculas finished 18 points together with five rebounds and two assists, sending San Beda to a 4-2 record in Group A and sinking Letran to its second loss in a row for a 3-2 card in Group B.

"I work on shots like those. And it just so happened that in this game, I really need to make the shots. It's just very fortunate that I got the ball and I took the shots with confidence," Torculas said in Filipino on the heels of his first taste of the San Beda-Letran rivalry match.

"The atmosphere was really different. I can feel the floor moving and I'm very happy and honored to be able to play in this type of game."

The game was as tight as it could get.

The Red Lions and the Knights ended the first half in a 34-all deadlock before San Beda did enough to take a slim 50-45 lead into the final period.

There the Knights built an early momentum behind Denzil Sison-Walker and Jimboy Estrada, who conspired to bring the Muralla crew to a 58-54 lead before sparkplug Daniel Marcelo hit a triple that pulled the Red Lions to within one.

Letran then secured a crucial 61-58 lead off two free throws from Kevin Santos, but an offensive foul called on Titing Manalili proved costly for the Knights as Torculas gladly buried the long bomb over the defense of his former UP teammate Sison-Walker to force an overtime.

Torculas then continued to torch Letran in the extra period, drilling two more three-pointers to give San Beda its biggest lead at 72-62 with 2:04 left to play in OT before rookie sensation Andrei Ugaddan sealed it from the stripes.

Torculas didn't lack the support with Marcelo finishing with 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists while Ugaddan nearly had a double-double of eight markers and 10 boards.

—JMB, GMA News