THE SAN BEDA Red Lions roared past the Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights, 68-58, in their first rivalry matchup in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 101 seniors’ basketball tournament at the FilOil Centre on Sunday, October 5.
Riding on their defensive intensity and balanced offense, the Red Lions set the tone early and never looked back, outworking the Knights on both ends of the floor to secure back-to-back wins and extend their perfect 2-0 start to the season.
By halftime, San Beda built a cushion behind their disciplined rotations and rebounding control. Letran attempted to rally in the third, but each surge was quickly answered by San Beda’s offensive composure and second-unit spark.
Rookie forward Agjanti Miller once again stood tall for the Red-and-White, delivering timely baskets and anchoring the team’s defensive rhythm. His highlight moment came late in the game when he rejected a Letran drive and finished on the other end to seal the win.
“They [were] running that same play the whole game,” he said. “I thought I was going to get him, but they didn’t call it (goaltending)… and then, at the bucket, I was just, just go get it, basically.”
Jimmy Reyes, in his first taste of the storied rivalry, provided poise off the bench, knocking down key shots and stabilizing the team’s flow despite still recovering from injury.
“For my first Letran-San Beda game, it lived up to the hype,” he shared.
“We just focus on each game one at a time until we get to that promise, we want to win that chip again and bring it back to the Bedan community.”
In an interview, Head Coach Yuri Escueta credited the team’s focus and effort on the defensive end, noting how discipline carried them through even with key players sidelined.
“Very happy. Hopefully, we play like this every time,” he said. “Yung effort namin defensively, how we followed our game plan, and of course, how we controlled the rebound… Sila talaga eh.”
Letran’s outside shooting struggled throughout, connecting on just three triples while San Beda’s bench contributed heavily with 40 big points.
With the win, San Beda improved to 2–0, while Letran dropped to 0–2 in the standings. The Red Lions now turn their focus to Jose Rizal University (JRU), a matchup Escueta warned would demand the same level of focus.
“Kailangan namin paghandaan JRU… hindi kami pwede ma-overconfident,” Coach Yuri said.
The Red Lions face the Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers in their third game at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, October 10, at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
Quarter scores: 25-18, 37-34, 53-45, 68-58
San Beda 68—Miller 22, Sajonia 11, Reyes 6, Lina 6, Gonzales 5, Celzo 5, Etulle 4, Estacio 3, Puno 2, Culdora 2
Letran 58—Manalili 13, Cuajao 10, Rosilio 7, Buensalida 6, Estrada 5, Omega 5, Santos 4, Roque 4, Tapenio 3, Gazzinagan 1,