Arriba! Letran completes monumental upset of San Beda to win NCAA 95 crown

The Letran Knights are the champions of NCAA Season 95. Zeke Alonzo

The underdog Letran Knights have slain the mighty San Beda Red Lions to win the NCAA Season 95 men's basketball tournament.

The Intramuros squad held steady in a rollercoaster Game Three, 81-79, on Tuesday at Mall of Asia Arena to complete the monumental upset against a San Beda side that went a perfect 18-0 in the elimination round.

The Knights, who had to go through stepladder knockout games against San Sebastian and Lyceum for a ticket to the finals, shocked the Red Lions with a nailbiting 65-64 victory in Game One.

San Beda was able to extend a series with a thrilling 79-76 win in Game Two.

But it was Letran that came up biggest in the ultimate game of the season behind star playmakers Jerrick Balanza, Bonbon Batiller, and Fran Yu.

Balanza, a member of the Knights' last championship squad in Season 91, sizzled for 27 points on five three-pointers. Batiller, who had missed a key shot late in Letran's Game Two loss, also came up big with 18 points as the Knights ended the dominance of a San Beda side that had won each of the last three NCAA titles.

Letran pushed the lead to as much as 13 points late in the third period before taking a 69-59 advantage heading into the final quarter.

San Beda came roaring back early in the fourth, cutting the deficit to just a point, 71-70, with less than five minutes remaining.

Balanza scored a pair of free throws and a three-pointer that bookended an 8-3 run to give Letran a 79-73 lead with 90 seconds left.

Red Lions guard Evan Nelle cut the Letran lead to a single basket with a three-pointer with 45 seconds left. San Beda then forced a backcourt violation on the Knights in the ensuing possession.

But the Red Lions could not convert on their next play, forcing them to send Fran Yu to the line with 15.9 seconds remaining. The Knights hotshot coolly sank both free throws, putting them back up by five.

Nelle responded with a 35-foot three-pointer to push San Beda to within two, 81-79, with 12 seconds remaining. Red Lions forward Calvin Oftana then forced a held ball against Yu after the inbound, giving them possession with 5.4 seconds left.

But the Knights foiled Nelle in San Beda's final attempt to bring the crown back to Muralla.

—JST, GMA News