NCAA: Letran stays unbeaten

Kevin Racal vs Dioncee Holts Photo by Tristan Rafael Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Letran just keeps on winning.

The Knights passed their latest test yet, outmuscling Arellano, 77-68, to grab their sixth win in the NCAA Season 91 men’s basketball tournament on Friday at San Juan Arena.

Kevin Racal paced the Knights with 24 points and five rebounds, the best game to date for the fifth-year forward.

Rey Nambatac was also stellar in the win, contributing a double-double of 10 markers and 10 boards, as Jomari Sollano got 12 points and seven rebounds.

With Arellano continually chasing Letran all game long, Zach Nicholls carried the Chiefs in their final push and cut the deficit to just three, 71-68, with 2:05 remaining.

But Mark Cruz, struggling all night long from threes, answered that immediately, drilling the dagger three to give Letran a 74-68 lead in the last 1:52 before following it up with three freebies to end the game. He finished with nine points on a 2-of-11 shooting from threes.

“It’s getting tougher and tougher,” said coach Aldin Ayo, whose Knights are now at the top spot in the team standings with a 6-0 slate. “The more we win, the more the responsibility comes because of the expectations, so we just have to take on the challenge.”

Nicholls led Arellano (4-2) with 14 points on a 4-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, while Jiovani Jalalon was limited to a still decent statline of 10 markers, seven rebounds and five assists.

The scores:

LETRAN 77—Racal 24, Nambatac 13, Sollano 12, Cruz 9, Luib 5, Apreku 4, Balanza 4, Publico 4, Quinto 2, Calvo 0

ARELLANO 68—Nicholls 14, Cadavis 12, Jalalon 10, Holts 10, Enriquez 8, Gumaru 5, Salado 5, Bangga 4, Ongolo-Ongolo 0, Ortega 0, De Guzman 0, Zamora 0, Tano 0

Quarters: 21-16, 42-32, 62-48, 77-68