Colegio de San Juan de Letrán is back in the NCAA Finals after a two-year Final Four drought.

Letran banked on an explosive fourth quarter where they outscored Perpetual, 20-6, en route to a 74-70 comeback victory in Game 2 of their best-of-three semifinals on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Cebuano rising star Jonathan 'Titing' Manalili recorded 16 points and dished out 14 assists in the series-deciding thriller, while backcourt partner Johnsherick ‘Jimboy’ Estrada tallied 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals laced with a go-ahead triple– off a tough find from Manalili– that gave Letran a two-point breathing space late in the fourth.

Letran’s fightback, however, was not without difficulty as they had to claw their way back after being down by as big as 13 (61-48) at one point in the third. 

The Altas seemed in control for most of the game with key cogs Patrick Sleat, Mark Gojo Cruz, and John Abis dealing significant damage in the first three quarters that built a 10-point cushion entering the final frame (64-54). 

But the Knights turned up a notch and put the clamps on Perpetual’s ace players in the payoff period.

Coach Allen Ricardo got decent contributions from a Letran collective: Deo Cuajao downed two triples for 6 points, Estrada poured in 5, Manalili added 3, and Kevin Santos, Jun Roque, and Mark Omega added 2 markers apiece.

All the while they limited Gojo Cruz to only two points (⅕ FG), while Sleat and Abis were completely flatlined (0/4 and 0/2 FG shooting respectively) in the final canto as the Knights put the finishing touches in the show-stealing victory.

Despite the sluggish fourth quarter, Sleat still spearheaded Perpetual’s offensive with a game-high 17 points alongside 5 rebounds and 3 assists while shooting 7-for-13 from the field. Super sophomore Gojo Cruz registered 15, 6 and 2 in the losing effort. 

The win marks Letran’s much-awaited return to the NCAA Finals after two consecutive seasons of not making the Final Four. 

It is also Coach Allen Ricardo’s first championship round appearance since taking up the helm as the head coach of Letran’s men’s basketball team.

They await the winner between San Beda and Benilde in their do-or-die semifinals Game 3 slated on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.