Better late than never.
After a slow start, Letran has lived up to pre-season hype, racking up four wins in a row including an 85-82 overtime victory over titleholder Mapua yesterday in NCAA Season 101 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.
Jimboy Estrada and Titing Manalili came through in the clutch to help the Knights erase the stigma of a disappointing 0-3 start that cast doubts on their championship drive.
Estrada poured in five of his 20 points in OT while Manalili hit a pair of huge foul shots late in regulation to send the duel into extra time.
Manalili, a sensational rookie and product of Letran’s high school program, urged his team to stay grounded.
‘I kept reminding them that we may have won now, but this is done and we have to move on to our next opponent,’ said Manalili, who flirted with another triple-double effort with 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds.
‘It doesn’t end here, this doesn’t decide if we will be champions,’ he added.
It was a heartbreaking defeat for the Cardinals, who had several opportunities to get the win.
Clint Escamis, on his final tour of duty before turning pro, missed a potential game-winning shot in the dying seconds of regulation and muffed two of three free throws in a crucial stretch in OT.
Mapua dropped to 3-3.