JUST IN: Letran Knights rule the NCAA Season ’91 men’s basketball after beating San Beda, 85-82. This is Letran’s first title in a decade, ending the five-year reign of the Red Lions.
Letran ends 10-year NCAA title drought
MANILA, Philippines –(UPDATED)
It was a classic showdown between traditional rivals, neither of which wanted to give up an inch to each other. Yet when the final buzzer sounded, only one could be crowned champions – and on Thursday night at the Mall of Asia Arena, it was the Colegio de San Juan de Letran who stood tallest.
The Letran Knights ended a 10-year championship drought, atoned for two heartbreaking Finals losses, and dealt their archrivals, the San Beda Red Lions, a heartbreaking blow with a hard-fought 85-82 overtime victory in the do-or-die Game 3 of the NCAA Season 91 men’s basketball Finals.
Jom Sollano, solid all game long, hit the go-ahead baseline jump shot with 32.8 seconds to go off a perfect pass by the graduating Mark Cruz to put the Knights ahead, 83-82, and the Letran defense held true in their next defensive possession, forcing misses from Arthur dela Cruz and Baser Amer.
A double lane violation after a split at the line by Sollano gave Letran back the ball, and Cruz hit one of two charities to peg the final score as the Red Lions’ final shot, a desperation heave by Michole Sorela, misfired badly.
It was Letran’s first championship since 2005. To make the title even sweeter, the Knights ended the five-year dominance of the Red Lions, who failed to achieve the first ever “six-peat” in the modern NCAA.
Two of San Beda’s championships in that five-year stretch came at the expense of Letran — in Seasons 88 and 89 — but this time around, the Knights would not be denied as they won their 17th NCAA championship after emerging triumphant in an instant classic that featured five deadlocks and 12 lead changes.
Early celebration
The Knights could have won the game in regulation after back-to-back three-pointers by Kevin Racal and Cruz made it a 75-67 lead with just 1:53 remaining in the game. The Letran side of the coliseum was already celebrating widely at this point, but Baser Amer and the Red Lions had other ideas.
Amer scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including a fast break lay-up off a miss by Kevin Racal, then assisted on a field goal by Ola Adeogun. The Red Lions trailed by just two points, 73-75, with 25 seconds to go, forcing Letran to call its final timeout.
In their final possession, sophomore forward Javee Mocon forced a turnover from Letran guard McJour Luib, and Amer went unmolested to the basket to tie the game at 75-all with still 13 seconds to go. Racal’s potential game-winning three-pointer was partially blocked, forcing an overtime period.
Luib scored the first points of the extra season but the Red Lions recovered, and even took an 82-79 lead with 1:27 remaining off a lay-up by Amer. Two free throws by Racal cut the lead to one, and Cruz then made the winning play when he drove hard to the hoop, drawing Adeogun’s attention, and leaving Sollano all alone on the baseline for the game-winning shot.
Sollano finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, making nine of his 12 shots. Racal had a game-hihg 23 points and five boards in his final game, while Rey Nambatac atoned for a subpar Game 2 with a 13-point performance.
But it was the diminutive Cruz, the “Astonishing Ant-Man,” who earned Finals MVP honors after averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and three steals per game in the three-game series.
Amer, in his final year for the Red Lions, added seven assists and three rebounds to his stat line, while Arthur Dela Cruz had 15 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but went scoreless in overtime and failed to convert a potential go-ahead field goal in the final seconds.
Adeogun had 13 points and 10 boards, and Mocon added 14 points and 15 boards. The Red Lions again failed to take care of the ball, committing 31 turnovers that led to 25 points for the Knights.
The scores:
LETRAN 85 – Racal 23, Sollano 19, Cruz 14, Nambatac 13, Luin 5, Publico 4, Quinto 4, Calvo 2, Apreku 1, Balanza 0.
SAN BEDA 82 – Dela Cruz 15, Amer 14, Mocon 14, Adeogun 13, Sara 9, Tankoua 6, Koga 5, Tongco 4, Soberano 2, Cabanag 0, Reyes 0, PResbitero 0, Sorela 0, Sedillo 0.
Quarter-scores: 20-12, 40-39, 54-52, 75-75, 85-82.
Knights end Lions NCAA reign with classic OT win
MANILA, Philippines — Unheralded Jomari Sollano became the unlikely hero as the Letran Knights finally ended the San Beda Red Lions’ five-year reign in the NCAA with a gut-wrenching 85-82 win in overtime on Thursday before before a record crowd of 20,158 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Sollano finished with a career-high 19 points including the marginal basket and a split at the line while pro-bound Mark Cruz atoned for his missed three-pointer at the end of regulation by sealing the Knights’ first championship in 10 years with a crucial free throw.
“I hope you enjoyed the whole season. Para sa inyo ito. Tama na ang sakit. Tayo naman,” said a triumphant rookie head coach Aldin Ayo, who was part of the Letran team that won back-to-back titles at the turn of the century.
A rookie coach and team that lost its best players to the pros, they were overlooked at the start of the season but defied all odds as the All-Filipino Knights won the school’s first championship since 2005 and their 17th banner.
After pulling off a shocker in Game One, the Lions roared back in Game Two. The two rivals, with storied winning traditions in the league, needed three nerve-wracking games to decide who will be the Season 91 champion.
Just as when the Knights were poised to wrap it up in the regulation, the Lions clawed their way back drawing from their vast championship experience.
After Kevin Racal and Cruz hit back-to-back three-pointers that opened up an eight-point lead, 75-67, Baser Amer led a San Beda 8-0 windup to force overtime. It was also Amer who gave the Lions their last lead in the tightly-fought contest with a floater to make it 82-81 in the final 45 seconds.
But the Knights were not to be denied.
Sollano came out of nowhere to steal the thunder from his more celebrated teammates hitting a big jumper from the corner with 32.6 seconds left to put Letran back on top.
Ayo then tactically pulled out the smaller Cruz as the Knights were able to foil two offensive plays by the Lions.
Sollano completed his heroics with a split at the line as double lane violation was called on his second free throw attempt that went the Knights’ way.
Cruz, who was named the Finals MVP, hit the clinching free throw with three seconds left as he will head to the PBA along with Racal as champions.
The diminutive Cruz had 14 points while Racal came out red-hot as he wound up with 23 in their final game to remember in the NCAA.
SOURCE: http://www.philstar.com/sports/2015/10/29/1516233/knights-end-lions-ncaa-reign-classic-ot-win
Letran Knights back to back champion and now 2015 rookie head Coach: ALDIN AYO who led them to victory after a decade of drought.
NCAA: Letran outlasts San Beda, captures 17th crown
Updated 19:59 PM PHT Thu, October 29, 2015
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – It was a championship 10 years in the making.
In a game that had all the trappings of a classic, the Letran Knights outlasted arch rivals San Beda Red Lions, 85-82, in overtime to capture the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday (October 29).
Letran, which last won it all in 2005, clinched its 17th crown in a rousing victory that also saw the end of San Beda’s reign.
It was a fitting sendoff for pro-bound Mark Cruz and Kevin Racal, who did most of the damage in the final 15 minutes of their collegiate career.
Down 82-79 with 1:27 to go in the extra period, Letran turned to Racal, Cruz, and Tom Sollano in the homestretch.
Cruz, who was named Finals MVP, was fouled in the dying seconds, earning a trip to the foul line that also entailed the daunting task of preserving the 84-82 lead for Letran.
The distance between winning and losing was as slim 3.7 seconds. In basketball, that’s an eternity. Anything can happen within that period.
But the pint-sized Cruz made sure their Herculean efforts wouldn’t go for naught.
Amid deafening jeers inside the arena, Cruz canned one free throw, giving Letran enough cushion to be in a prime position of winning.
As the final buzzer howled, the raucous Letran crowd went berserk, knowing their team carved out a slice of history.
Finally, no more bridesmaid finish for Letran this time.
In recent years, the Knights settled for second place behind heavyweight San Beda. But the rugged crew led by rookie coach Aldin Ayo, which strived on defense all season long, broke the trend by emerging on top of everyone in a season where they have been written off before it even began.
Before the classic exchange in the extra period, the Knights actually had the game in the bag but turned the golden chance into a lump of coal after allowing the Lions to claw back from a 75-67 hole inside the last two minutes of regulation.
Baser Amer instigated that scintillating 8-0 outburst for San Beda capped by his breakaway layup that provided the needed reprieve for the six peat-seeking Lions.
Both teams didn’t keep their weapons holstered in overtime, engaging in a swashbuckling contest.
But Letran still prevailed.