Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Letran stakes its unbeaten record and its solo hold of the lead as it clashes with a resurgent Arellano University Friday (July 31) in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
The Knights have defied pre-season odds and zoomed to the top after stringing together five straight wins including giant-sized victories over heavily-favored Jose Rizal, San Beda and, recently, Perpetual Help.
Letran will go out hoping to complete its conquest of last year’s Final Four teams will be complete with a victory over Arellano, last year’s losing finalist, in their much anticipated 4 p.m. encounter.
Despite its early surge, Letran coach Aldin Ayo thinks they remained underdogs.
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet, I still think we’re the underdogs,” said Ayo, who has gotten respect from his peers after transforming his team into a title-contender despite being written off in the pre-season.
Ayo, whose coaching can be rooted from Sorsogon, has been drawing strength from its unrelenting defense with the troika of Mark Cruz, Rey Nambatac and Kevin Racal doing the heavy lifting on offense with their clutching shooting.
Letran though will have their hands full against an Arellano team that has racked up four straight victories after starting the season with a stinging 61-78 defeat at the hands of Jose Rizal on June 27 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
In those wins, the Chiefs have averaged 94 points and normed 87.4 points a game, next only to league-best 90.60 points by the Mapua Cardinals and 90.50 points by the Lions, the reignign five-peat champions.
But the Knights though have the defense to slow down the Chiefs’ high octane offense after holding down foes to 68.40 points an outing, which is only second to the Bombers’ 64.33 points.
“We have to be ready against them and we will,” said Arellano caoch Jerry Codinera.
Interestingly, Arellano U and Letran lead the league in steals and forcing opponents to turning the ball over.
The Chiefs averaged a league-best 11.60 steals a game while the Knights follow with 10.80.
Letran forced foes to commit to a league-high 28.40 errors, barely ahead of Arellano’s 26.80.
