Colegio de San Juan de Letran moved to within a win from the NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball throne after eking out an 85-81 comeback victory against College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills in Game 1 of their best-of-three finals series on Monday.
Letran will now look to seal the championship on Thursday for Game 2.
Syrex Silorio led the way for Letran with 27 points while Andy Gemao contributed 21 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.
George Diamante also came up big with 12 points, 17 boards, five assists, and four blocks.
The Squires erased what was once a 12-point deficit early in the game, ending the first half with a furious 13-5 rally to trim its deficit to just three, 41-44.
Letran was also able to neutralize Luis Pablo in the second period as the LSGH big man was held scoreless in that frame after a seven-point outing in the first. But thanks to Ethan Alian, the Greenies maintained their lead heading to the second half.
The tandem of Diamante and Silorio provided the life to the Squires in the third with the two conniving as they retook a 65-64 lead before the crucial payoff period.
Silorio scored eight points while Diamante had seven points, seven rebounds, and three of his blocks in the third period alone.
Gemao then caught fire in the fourth, slamming the ball before firing a triple to give the Squires a much-needed 79-73 cushion.
Silorio buried a triple of his own as Letran built an 85-76 advantage with 2:42 left.
Luis Pablo led LSGH with 22 points on 10-for-11 shooting and 19 big rebounds alongside two steals and two blocks.
Alian scored 14 points while Seven Gagate had a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds but struggled with foul trouble in the second half.
The scores:
Letran 85 - Silorio 27, Gemao 21, Diamante 12, Manalili 9, Alforque 4, Anabo 4, Baliling 3, Hugo 2, Navarro 2, Cruz 1.
La Salle Green Hills 81 - Pablo 22, Alian 14, Gagate 12, Ison 10, Mesias 10, Rivero 6, Gomez 5, Romero 2, Zaragoza 0.
Quarters: 17-22, 41-44, 65-64, 85-81.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
