Published March 6, 2023 2:09pm
Updated March 6, 2023 2:18pm
Colegio de San Juan de Letran is returning to the finals after 14 years following an 83-78 win over Mapua University of their semifinals showdown on Monday within the NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball event on the San Andres Sports Complex.
Andy Gemao led Letran with 14 factors, seven rebounds, 4 assists, two blocks, and one block whereas George Diamante churned out a double-double outing of 10 markers and 14 boards alongside 5 assists.
Jonathan Manalili added 12 markers six rebounds and a game-high six assists, Jovel Baliling added 11 factors, and Justine Hugo chipped in with 10 factors, 9 boards, 4 assists, and two blocks within the win.
Letran final trooped to the championship spherical in Season 85 in 2009, finally shedding to San Beda of their best-of-three affair.
The Squires now await the winner between the Red Cubs and the College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills Greenies, who will slug it out for the opposite finals ticket.
Mapua obtained off to a scorching begin with Joaquin Coronel and Noel Agemenyi conniving to place the Red Robins forward for many of the first half, however the Squires nonetheless held a 41-38 lead on the flip all due to the duo of Gemao and Hugo.
Letran trailed by as many as 9 factors within the first two quarters however outscoring Mapua within the second interval, 24 to 19, proved pivotal for the Squires.
That lead even ballooned to 12 within the third with Manalili and Baliling igniting from the sphere earlier than the Red Robins staged a rally within the fourth, trimming their deficit to only one level, 73-72, after a Aki Valiña sinking a layup with 3:37 left.
A four-point play alternative accomplished by Sean Salvador made it a good 79-76 affair earlier than Manalili knocked down two essential free throws to ship Letran to a much-needed 81-76 cushion within the remaining 28.2 seconds.
Mapua nearly took the ball away, however Letran was in a position to safe the leather-based within the scramble. Gemao was regular on his two freebies, 83-78, to punch their ticket to the championship spherical.
Nygel Gonzales led Mapua with 21 factors whereas Agemenyi completed with 10 factors on an ideal 5-for-5 taking pictures clip from the sphere, alongside six rebounds, three steals and a block.
The scores:
Letran 83 – Gemao 14, Manalili 12, Baliling 11, Diamante 10, Hugo 10, Anabo 8, Silorio 8, Navarro 4, Padilla 2, Cruz 2, Alforque 2.
Mapua 78 – Gonzales 21, Agemenyi 10, Coronel 8, Salvador 8, Rodriguez 8, Masiglat 6, Dayrit 6, Valiña 4, Morenos 3, Mulingtapang 2, Go 2, Manuel 0, Santos 0.
Quarters: 17-19, 41-38, 62-50, 83-78.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
