Published December 18, 2022 6:01pm
Updated December 18, 2022 6:10pm
The crown is not going anyplace.
Colegio de San Juan de Letran efficiently defended its third straight title with an 81-67 victory over De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde within the winner-take-all Game 3 of the NCAA Season 98 males’s basketball finals on Sunday.
King Caralipio posted 20 factors and 10 rebounds to guide Letran within the title-clinching victory. Brent Paraiso added 16 factors whereas Kobe Monje chipped in with 11.
The win enabled the Knights to bag a second three-peat for the college following the Samboy Lim-led run of three consecutive championships from 1982 to 1984.
The title, nevertheless, remained elusive for the Blazers as they had been unable to quench a 22-year title drought.
Letran, which performed with out workforce captain and veteran guard Fran Yu, additionally moved to 2 titles away from tying rival San Beda University because the winningest workforce within the league.
Yu, who was the Finals MVP throughout Letran’s Season 95 championship run, was suspended for Game 3 after his ejection within the earlier sport.
The sport began off tightly contested with Benilde sticking near Letran, 22-21, late within the opening interval thanks a tricky turnaround jumper from Robi Nayve. But some late free throws from Letran’s Kurt Reyson made it 24-21 on the finish of the primary and one other triple from Reyson capped 5 extra unanswered factors because the Knights took a 29-21 lead after a 7-0 run bridging the primary two durations.
Despite some early foul bother to the Benilde frontcourt of Will Gozum and MIggy Corteza, the Blazers continued to battle up till the Knights unleashed an unrelenting 19-2 run that blew the sport large open. Louie Sangalang and Rafael Go mixed to attain the final eight factors of the run as Letran opened up a whopping 23-point benefit, 51-28, within the second quarter.
The two-time defending champs entered the halftime break with a 51-33 lead, led by Caralipio, who contributed 12 factors and 5 rebounds, and Monje, who scored eight factors on good 2-for-2 capturing from the sector and 4-for-4 from the road.
Gozum, the NCAA Season 98 MVP, was restricted to only two factors in simply 5 and a half minutes of motion on account of his three fouls. Corteza led Benilde with six factors but additionally garnered three fouls within the first half.
Benilde wasn’t about to roll over, although, because the Blazers battled again within the third quarter, coming again to inside 12, 54-42, after a 9-1 rally that noticed contributions from Gozum, Corteza, Mark Sangco, and Migs Oczon.
But well timed baskets from the Letran facet allowed them to construct the cushion again as much as 70-54 heading into the ultimate interval, the place the Knights had a solution for all the things the Blazers threw at them.
The gutsy Benilde squad confirmed indicators of life late as that they had possibilities to chop the Letran lead all the way down to single-digits, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient ultimately. Tensions ran excessive late after Gozum was known as for a disqualifying foul with 1:44 remaining in a bodily play involving Pao Javillonar.
Gozum completed with 10 factors, two rebounds, a steal, and a block within the loss whereas Corteza tallied 14 factors and 7 rebounds.
Letran received 4 out of 5 head-to-head video games with Benilde, together with each elimination spherical video games and Games 1 and three of the NCAA FInals.
The scores:
Letran 81 – Caralipio 20, Paraison 16, Monje 11, Reyson 8, Sanglang 8, Santos 7, Olivario 4, Go 4, Guarinio 2, Javillonar 1, Tolentino 0, Bojorcelo 0.
Benilde 67 – Corteza 14, Pasturan 10, Gozum 10, Oczon 9, Sangco 6, Nayve 6, Flores 5, Marcos 3, Cullar 2, Carlos 2, Davis 0.
Quarters: 24-21, 51-33, 70-54, 81-67.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
