SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – As he has done many times before in his career, Letran star guard Fran Yu lifted the Knights in the clutch to earn a 67-62 escape against NCAA Season 97 finals foe Mapua at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Tuesday, September 27.
With the shot clock running out in the final minute of regulation, the Season 95 Finals MVP received the ball from a trapped Louie Sangalang several steps behind the three-point line, and still swished a cold-blooded dagger triple to put Letran up 5, 64-59, with just 46.7 ticks remaining.
Mapua – already riding a three-game losing streak then – failed to recover from that crushing development as the three-peat-seeking defending champions held on with clutch free throws to give them a 3-1 record and tie top-ranked CSB and LPU.
Yu’s last three capped off another stat sheet-stuffing performance to the tune of 15 points on 4-of-9 shooting and 3-of-4 from long range, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
Big man Pao Javillonar backstopped with 14 points, while King Caralipio scored 8 with 11 boards as the Knights also added color late with a disqualifying foul on Brent Paraiso and a pair of technicals on Sangalang.
Mapua – now at ninth place in the 10-team league with a 1-4 record – was led by Brian Lacap’s 12 points in just 19 minutes, while Jasper Salenga scored 11 in just 14 minutes.
Paolo Hernandez and Adrian Nocum added 9 and 8 points, respectively, but only combined for a dismal 6-of-25 clip, while Arvin Gamboa fired blanks with just 4 points on a frigid 1-of-12 clip.
Letran braces for another tough assignment at 3 pm on Friday, September 30, against historic rival San Beda, while Mapua aims to snap its growing skid that same day at 12 pm against scrappy JRU.
The Scores
Letran 67 – Yu 15, Javillonar 14, Caralipio 8, Reyson 8, Monje 7, Sangalang 6, Paraiso 5, Santos 3, Olivario 1, Miclat 0, Tolentino 0.
Mapua 62 – Lacap 12, Salenga 11, Hernandez 9, Nocum 8, Soriano 6, Pido 6, Bonifacio 4, Gamboa 4, Parinas 2, Garcia 0, Igliane 0.
Quarters: 10-15, 32-33, 46-48, 67-62.
– Rappler.com
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