Letran on cusp of three-peat after outlasting Benilde in Game 1 of NCAA Season 98 Finals

Colegio de San Juan de Letran moved to within one win of completing a rare three-peat after edging De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 81-75, in Game 1 of their best-of-three NCAA Season 98 Finals series on Sunday.

Louie Sangalang led Letran with 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. He also grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for the Knights.

King Caralipio added 16 points while Kurt Reyson had 13 markers in the win.

 

 

After a slow third period, Letran stepped it up in the fourth with a furious 9-0 run that allowed the Knights to build a 76-69 cushion with 4:30 left.

With Benilde's main gunners on the bench with cramps, Blazers forward Miggy Corteza kept their hopes alive with back-to-back baskets, cutting it down to a 76-73 deficit.

But Letran's Rafael Go split from the charity stripe, 77-73, and a steady Fran Yu took care of business with two free throws, 79-73, with 23 seconds remaining.

Letran will look to finish off Benilde next Sunday, December 11, in a bid to bring home the crown for a third consecutive season.

Letran established a nine-point lead late in the second period off a triple from Reyson but three straight baskets from MVP frontrunner Will Gozum tied things up at 50-all before Jimboy Pasturan fouled Fran Yu at the rainbow country with 2.5 seconds left. 

Yu then drilled two of his three freebies to send the Knights to a 52-20 halftime advantage as Louie Sangalang paced Letran with 13 points early.

Benilde was dealt a major blow early when Migs Oczon sprained his ankle at the 8:04 mark of the first. 

But the Blazers regrouped, opening the third with an 8-0 spurt led by Mark Sangco and Gozum. The Knights countered with a 14-9 run to end the period down by one, 67-66.

Letran outscored Benilde, 15-8, in the fourth period with Gozum limited to playing just the final 1:13 of the period as he and Robi Nayve dealt with cramps.

Gozum tallied 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead Benilde while Corteza also finished with 18 markers. Oczon, meanwhile, finished with three points as he was on the floor for only two minutes before exiting with the injury.

The scores:

Letran 81 - Sangalang 24, Caralipio 16, Reyson 13, Paraiso 9, Yu 7, Javillonar 5, Olivario 4, Santos 2, Go 1, Ariar 0, Monje 0, Tolentino 0.

Benilde 75 - Gozum 18, Corteza 18, Sangco 10, Nayve 9, Marcos 7, Pasturan 4, Oczon 3, Cullar 2, Carlos 2, Lepalam 2, Sumabat 0, Flores 0.

Quarters: 25-21, 52-50, 66-67, 81-75.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News

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