Puzzle solved

Bonbon Batiller spent most of his time during the long break trying to figure out the puzzle that is hotshot Allyn Bulanadi of San Sebastian.

The defense-oriented guard finally found a way to stop the league’s top scorer on Tuesday night and helped the Letran Knights bundle the San Sebastian Stags out of the semifinals of Season 95 of the NCAA basketball tournament after a slim 85-80 win at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.

“I had been thinking about him way before we came into this game,” said Batiller, one of four graduating Knights who refused to end their season on Tuesday, in Filipino.

“What kind of defense will I have to play against him? Those were the thoughts that came into my mind,” added Batiller.

When the chance came on his much-awaited face-off with Bulanadi, Batiller made sure the MVP contender, feared for his wide repertoire of accurate shots, won’t be a big factor in the endgame.

With a phalanx of defenders anticipating his every move, Bulanadi missed all of his five attempts in the final quarter and finished with 15 points on 5-of-15 field-goal shooting.

Crafty point guard RK Ilagan covered for Bulanadi and erupted with a career-high 36 points, including a long three that cut the Letran lead to 81-80.

King Caralipio sprinted on a break for a crucial basket on the next sequence and Fran Yu cooly sank his pair of free throws in the dying seconds that extinguished the hopes of the Stags for good.

Graduating forward Jerrick Balanza led five other Knights in double figures with 15 points, while Batiller also contributed 14, highlighted by back-to-back threes in the third that gave them a 14-point spread.

“They don’t want to end their careers yet,” said Letran coach Bonnie Tan, referring to Balanza and Batiller.

The Knights will advance to the next step of the stepladder semis against the second-ranked Lyceum Pirates on Friday where the winner meets the defending champion San Beda Red Lions in a best-of-three titular showdown.

“We haven’t thought about Lyceum yet. We’ll rest tonight and start thinking about them in practice tomorrow,” said Tan.

LETRAN 85—Balanza 15, Batiller 14, Mina 12, Muyang 11, Ular 10, Yu 10, Caralipio 9, Balagasay 4, Ambohot 0, Olivario 0, Reyson 0, Sangalang 0, Javillonar 0.

SSC 80—Ilagan 36, Bulanadi 15, Villapando 8, Calahat 7, Capobres 5, Altamirano 5, Desoyo 2, Sumoda 1, Cosari 1, Calma 0, Isidro 0.
Quarters: 23-20, 50-40, 69-59, 85-80