Benilde bucks slow start vs Letran, boosts twice-to-beat chances

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde defeated Colegio de San Juan de Letran 83-78 in NCAA Season 100 action at the Filoil EcoOil Centre on Friday. This victory keeps Benilde on track for a Final Four bonus.

The Blazers improved to 13-2, solidifying their position at the top of the league standings. The Knights fell to 7-9 with the loss.

Letran held a significant 27-13 lead late in the first quarter. However, Benilde responded with a dominant second quarter, exploding for 32 points while limiting Letran to just 10, giving the Blazers a 47-37 halftime lead. After trailing 62-54 at the end of the third quarter, Letran mounted a comeback in the fourth, narrowing the gap to seven points (79-72) with 68 seconds left following baskets by Jimboy Estrada and Joseph Nunag. Benilde's Allen Liwag secured the win with crucial baskets late, countering three-pointers from Pao Javillonar and Deo Cuajao.

Benilde head coach Charles Tiu credited Letran's effort, stating his team expected their desperation for the win and were thankful to make adjustments, capitalize, and execute their game plan.

MVP frontrunner Allen Liwag led the Blazers with a strong all-around performance: 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal. Justine Sanchez contributed 16 points, and Mark Sangco added 11 points. This win extends Benilde's winning streak to seven games.

For Letran, Pao Javillonar had a standout performance, hitting eight three-pointers en route to a career-high 31 points. Jimboy Estrada recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 assists, along with eight rebounds and a block. Deo Cuajao scored 10 points.

The quarter scores were: 15-27, 47-37, 62-54, 83-78.