Letran Knights coach Allen Ricardo during a game against San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament. –NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Years have gone on and on but the rivalry between Letran and San Beda remains to be one of the most intense clashes not just in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament but also in Philippine collegiate basketball as a whole.
On Sunday at San Juan Arena, the Knights one-upped the Red Lions, 75-71, in another epic encounter that perfectly encapsulated the decades-long rivalry.
To the people from the outside looking in, it’s just another win that bolstered Letran’s chances for a Final Four spot.
READ: NCAA: Jimboy Estrada wills Letran to crucial win over San Beda
However, to the people who competed inside the hardwood and from the sidelines, the victory meant so much more.
Just ask coach Allen Ricardo.
“Right now, this is so special,” said Letran’s fairly young coach at San Juan Arena on Sunday. “When I saw the crowd earlier, I immediately thought we should get a good start so we could just sustain it in the quarters but it’s very special.”
Ricardo has had his fair share of being in a Beda-Letran game.
READ: NCAA: San Beda escapes Letran, St. Benilde avoids meltdown
In the early 2010s, Ricardo served as an assistant to then-coach Louie Alas.
It’s safe to say that the climate of the classic rivalry wasn’t too kind for the Intramuros-based squad then.
“When I was with coach Louie we couldn’t win against San Beda when I was an assistant coach. I was limited at that time, I just started coaching,” Ricardo said.
Letran Knights during a game against San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament. –NCAA PHOTO
For 40 minutes, Ricardo’s memory of days past vanished as he witnessed another victory for the Knights, this time with him at the helm.
A Beda-Letran rivalry, of course, wouldn’t be complete without the appearance of old faces that competed in the historic battles.
The Knights had alumni Rey Nambatac back in the coaching staff, fresh off a championship run with TNT two days prior nd his return motivated the current Knights to give it their all.
However, the Tropang Giga standout didn’t just give simple motivation. He also gave a crash course regarding the oldest rivalry in Philippine basketball.
“Before we started the game, we had a small huddle in the dugout and he (Nambatac) told us to enjoy this game. He told us that this is truly a rivalry so we should just enjoy and thankfully our shots went in,” said rookie Jimboy Estrada.
“They’re fun to play against. That’s all there is to it,” he added.
Estrada, who just had his second whiff of a Beda-Letran, already felt the intensity right off the bat but he rose through the occasion.
Letran rookie Jimboy Estrada during a game against San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament. –NCAA PHOTO
The rookie out of St. Clare College finished with an all-around game of 24 points, nine assists and five rebounds to keep the Knights in contention of a Final Four spot with an 8-9 card.
Estrada, to an extent, is just a new soldier in the Beda-Letran war.
Kobe Monje, on the other hand, has felt the intensity of the age-old showdown a long time.
“When I was in high school, even before, my coaches told me we can lose to anyone just not against San Beda,” said Monje, a product of the Squires’ basketball program, in Filipino with Inquirer Sports.
“Last season, even when we lost a lot, when we faced San Beda, we couldn’t just roll over. We needed to fight against them. Even in my Juniors’ years, it’s already marked,” he added.
Years of experience might’ve given Monje all the push he needed to avoid swallowing another loss to the Red Lions as he finished with 15 points and four rebounds in the dub.
San Beda wasn’t just a pushover for the Knights as the troika of James Payosing, Jomel Puno and Bismarck Lina scored 16, 15 and 10 points, respectively to give Letran a hard time in another classic barnburner of a basketball game.