NCAA: Ato Ular shines anew as Letran escapes EAC

MANILA, Philippines–Ato Ular saved the day for Letran with a defensive gem in a dying second for a 91-89 escape act over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the men’s basketball tourney of NCAA Season 95.

The 6-foot-5 Ular swatted away a potential game-tying spinner by Renz Gonzales as the Knights preserved the victory, their fourth straight after an opening-day defeat at the hands of the Pirates.

Ular, hands-down Letran’s best player for the second straight game, finished with 19 points and nine rebounds to complement Jerrick Balanza’s 22 points and Edson Battiler’s 17 markers.

Gonzales had another chance to steal the game from the Knights but his desperation three at the buzzer hit the back iron of the rim.

The Generals, who dropped to 1-3 in the company of Perpetual, rose from a double-digit disadvantage through the efforts of Marwin Taywan, who knocked down a pair of threes and sank three free throws in the closing minutes.