Knights outlast Dolphins in OT

Letran held Philippine Christian U scoreless almost entirely in overtime play while scoring six points of its own as it fashioned out a 70-64 victory yesterday to sweep the first round elims of the 81st NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Astrodome.

In an endgame marred by sloppy plays and ugly turnovers, the Knights proved steadier with JP Alcaraz stepping up for the Muralla-based squad with six points to anchor their seventh straight victory.

The loss was the Dolphins’ first after matching the Knights’ six-game romp.

Letran overcame an eight-point lead in the first half but blew a 13-point bulge in the third and then scrambled for baskets in a wild-wooly fourth quarter with Frederick Rodriquez, receiving a perfect feed from Alcaraz, scoring underneath to send the game into overtime.

The Knights didn’t have to put up their dreaded full-court press to stymie the Dolphins’ offense in the extra period as the latter disintegrated with poor shot selections and individual plays, resulting to six misses.

By the time Gabby Espinas hit the first basket for PCU in the dying seconds of overtime play, the Knights had already knocked in six points with Alcaraz adding two more from the stripe to seal the win for Letran.

The victory somehow avenged the Knights’ heartbreaking loss to the Dolphins in their semis clash last year, which paved the way for PCU’s title conquest. But for Letran coach Louie Alas, it was the thought of sweeping the first round that motivated the team.

In the second seniors game, Neil Pascual scored on a short stab — his only basket in the game — with 1.6 seconds as the Mapua Cardinals snapped a two-game losing skid by beating the St. Benilde Blazers, 66-64.

The win solidified Mapua’s grip of third place as it improved to 5-2, while St. Benilde fell into a tie with San Sebastian College for fourth to fifth spots with similar 3-4 cards. It was also the Blazers’ fourth straight defeat.