2015 Letran Knights basketball team

The 2015 Letran Knights men's basketball team represented Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the 91st season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the school year 2015-16 began on June 27, 2015, and the host school for the season was Mapúa Institute of Technology.[1]

2015 Letran Knights men's basketball
NCAA Season 91 champions
Record
Elims rank #2
Final rank#1
2015 record16–7 (13–5 elims)
Head coachAldin Ayo (1st season)
Assistant coachesGlenn Capacio
Luis Jose Gonzalez
Kerby Raymundo
Napoleon Garcia
CaptainMark Cruz (5th season)

The Knights finished the double round-robin eliminations tied at first and second places together with the defending champions San Beda Red Lions with 13 wins against 5 losses.[2] In the classification match, the Knights failed to clinched the top seed, but still got the twice-to-beat advantage going in to the Final Four.[3] In the Final Four, the Knights beat the Mapúa Cardinals led by Nigerian center and newly-crowned Season 91 MVP Allwell Oraeme, 91–90, and went on to the Finals to face the defending champions San Beda.[4]

The Knights then defeated the Red Lions in three games, with the final game reached in overtime, ending a ten-year title drought.[5][6][7] Mark Cruz was named NCAA Finals MVP, averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and three steals.[8]

Roster

Letran Knights roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Year High School
F 4 Philippines Apreku, Felix Jr. 6'4" (1.93m) 2nd PCU Dasmarinas
C 5 Philippines Sollano, Jomari 6'4" (1.93m) 1st Clarencio Calagos Memorial School of Fisheries
G 6 Philippines Nambatac, Rey Benedict C. 5'11" (1.8m) 3rd Colegio de San Juan de Letran
G 7 Philippines Balanza, Jerrick G. 6'2" (1.88m) 1st Colegio de San Juan de Letran
G 8 Philippines Calvo, John Paul 6'0" (1.83m) 2nd Hua Siong College of Iloilo
G 9 Philippines Cruz, Mark L. (C) 5'7" (1.7m) 5th Colegio de San Juan de Letran
G 10 Philippines Luib, McJour 5'11" (1.8m) 4th Colegio de San Juan de Letran
G 12 Philippines Bernabe, Maui Matthew 5'9" (1.75m) 1st University of the East
F 12 Philippines De La Peña, Chrisantoni 6'4" (1.93m) 2nd De La Salle Lipa
G 13 Philippines Gedaria, Tommy York 5'9" (1.75m) 1st Colegio de San Juan de Letran
C 15 Philippines Balagasay, Christian 6'5" (1.96m) 1st Northridge Montessori School
F 16 Philippines Racal, Kevin Kent  (C) 6'3" (1.91m) 5th Muntinlupa National High School
G 17 Philippines Buenaflor, Kevin – 2nd Southernside Montessori School
F 18 Philippines Publico, Reynaldo Jr. 6'4" (1.93m) 5th –
G 19 Philippines Quinto, Kier John 6'0" (1.83m) 2nd Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Team manager
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • Injured Injured

Depth chart
Pos. Starting 5 Bench 1 Bench 2
C Sollano Balagasay De La Peña
PF Apreku Quinto Publico
SF Racal Nambatac Buenaflor
SG Luib Calvo Balanza
PG Cruz Gedaria Bernabe

Coaching changes

Letran officials hired Aldin Ayo as the new head coach for the Knights, replacing Caloy Garcia.[9] Ayo, then a Sorsogon CIty councilor and head coach of the city's youth program, was the former point guard of the Letran Knights in 1998 & 1999.[10]

Added to the sidelines were former PBA player and former head coach of FEU Tamaraws Glenn Capacio, former FEU assistant coach and Letran alumnus Louie Gonzalez, and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as its team manager.[11][12]

Roster changes

The Knights lost two of its key players last season, Ford Ruaya and Jamil Gabawan, as they have used up their eligibility.[13] Chester Saldua and Daryl Singontiko opted to transfer to University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, while Fidel Castro and John Tambeling also transferred to PCU.

Holdovers were Mark Cruz, Kevin Racal, Rey Nambatac, McJour Luib and Bong Quinto. Added to the roster were Jerrick Balanza and Tommy Gedaria from the Letran Squires program, and transferee Jom Sollano.[13]

Suspensions
  • The NCAA Management Committee slapped Letran head coach Aldin Ayo a one game suspension for throwing a monobloc chair in protest of a foul called on guard McJour Luib in the Knights’ 83-78 victory against Lyceum, which earned him a technical foul.[14] Ayo already earned a warning when the Knights were playing against the San Sebastian Stags after he removed an eyeglass of his assistant and gave it to the referee.[14]

NCAA Season 91 games results
Further information: NCAA Season 91 basketball tournaments

Elimination games were played in a double round-robin format. All games were aired on ABS-CBN Sports and Action.

Date Time Opponent Venue Result Record
First round of eliminations
Jun 30 4:00 p.m. Benilde Blazers Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 82–53 1–0
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 16; Rebounds: Nambatac – 9
Jul 3 4:00 p.m. JRU Heavy Bombers Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 78–62 2–0
Game Highs: Points: Nambatac – 25
Jul 16 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 98–80 3–0
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 20; Rebounds: Racal – 8; Assists: Cruz, Luib – 6
Jul 21 4:00 p.m. San Sebastian Stags Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 82–76 4–0
Jul 23 4:00 p.m. Perpetual Altas Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 79–71 5–0
Game Highs: Points: Cruz, Nambatac – 15
Jul 31 2:00 p.m. Arellano Chiefs Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 77–68 6–0
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 24
Aug 4 4:00 p.m. Lyceum Pirates Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 83–78 7–0
Game Highs: Points: Racal, Nambatac – 19
Aug 7 2:00 p.m. EAC Generals Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan L 69–83 7–1
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 18
Aug 14 2:00 p.m. Mapúa Cardinals Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 80–77 8–1
Game Highs: Points: Nambatac – 22; Rebounds: Nambatac – 10; Assists: Cruz – 6
1st place after 1st round (8 wins–1 loss)
Second round of eliminations
Aug 25 4:00 p.m. San Sebastian Stags Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan L 87–89 8–2
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 30
Aug 28 4:00 p.m. EAC Generals Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 86–76 9–2
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 29
Sep 4 12:00 p.m. Lyceum Pirates Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 74–57 10–2
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 26
Sep 10 2:00 p.m. Benilde Blazers Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 79–69 11–2
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 20
Sep 15 4:00 p.m. Mapúa Cardinals Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan L 77–82 11–3
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 17
Sep 18 4:00 p.m. JRU Heavy Bombers Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan L 80–86 11–4
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 23
Sep 25 4:00 p.m. Arellano Chiefs Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 87–81 12–4
Game Highs: Points: Nambatac – 21
Oct 6 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan L 73–77 12–5
Game Highs: Points: Nambatac – 16
Oct 9 4:00 p.m. Perpetual Altas Filoil Flying V Arena • San Juan W 93–64 13–5
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 18; Assists: Cruz – 8
Tied at 1st–2nd place at 13 wins–5 losses (5 wins–4 losses in the 2nd round)
Playoff for first-seed
Oct 13 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay L 78–83 0–1
(13–6)
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 29
Advanced to semifinals
Final Four[lower-alpha 1]
Oct 20 2:00 p.m. Mapúa Cardinals Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay W 91–90 1–0
(14–6)
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 26; Rebounds: Racal – 12; Assists: Cruz – 6
Letran wins series in one game
Finals
Oct 23 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay W 94–90 1–0
(15–6)
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 28; Rebounds: Racal – 6; Assists: Racal – 5
Oct 27 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay L 61–68 1–1
(15–7)
Game Highs: Points: Cruz – 21; Rebounds: Sollano – 7
Oct 29 4:00 p.m. San Beda Red Lions Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay W 85–82OT 2–1
(16–7)
Game Highs: Points: Racal – 23; Assists: Cruz – 7
Knights clinched 17th NCAA championship

Times listed above are in UTC+08:00

Source: ABS-CBN Sports
Notes:
  1. Letran held a twice-to-beat advantage over Mapúa

Awards
Player Award
Mark Cruz NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player
Aldin Ayo NCAA Coach of the Year

References
  1. "LOOK: Highlights of NCAA Season 91 kick off". ABS-CBN News. June 27, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  2. Icasiano, Nissi (October 9, 2015). "Letran eliminates Perpetual Help, notches twice-to-beat advantage". Rappler. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  3. "NCAA: San Beda clinches top spot with win over Letran; Mapua secures Final Four berth". CNN Philippines. October 13, 2015. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  4. Leongson, Randolph (October 20, 2015). "'Small ball' works as Letran aims to end 10-year title drought". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  5. Flores-Colina, Celest (October 23, 2015). "Letran nips San Beda to go 1-0 in NCAA Finals". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  6. Icasiano, Nissi (October 27, 2015). "San Beda wins Game 2, forces NCAA Finals rubber match with Letran". Rappler. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  7. Icasiano, Nissi (October 29, 2015). "Letran beats San Beda in Game 3, wins first NCAA title in 10 years". Rappler. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  8. Lozada, Bong (October 29, 2015). "Letran ends San Beda's reign, claims NCAA Season 91 crown". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  9. Terrado, Reuben (November 17, 2014). "Caloy Garcia slighted by Letran move to create search committee for coach: 'I don't want to be the last option'". SPIN.ph. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  10. Terrado, Reuben (November 29, 2014). "Letran set to name new head coach. Find out who he is". SPIN.ph. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  11. Li, Matthew (January 2, 2018). "Who is Louie Gonzalez?". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  12. Leongson, Randolph (July 2, 2015). "Pacquiao named as Letran team manager". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  13. Galledo, Frankie (June 25, 2015). "Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights: NCAA 91 Starter Pack". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  14. Leongson, Randolph (August 6, 2015). "Letran coach Aldin Ayo, Mapua's Atoy Co get one-game ban". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2022.


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