Letran Seeks Third Win Against Winless EAC in NCAA Season 102
Letran hunts a third straight win. San Beda just wants to get on the board.
Last season’s NCAA finalists return to center stage on Thursday at the San Juan Arena, carrying very different storylines into a pivotal double-header in Season 102.
Knights riding Walker wave
Letran has looked ruthless through two games, and the Knights have no intention of slowing down as they chase a 3-0 start against the winless Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in the 5 p.m. main game.
They’ve found their new engine.
Denzil Walker, the latest piece in the Muralla puzzle, has wasted no time justifying the hype. The former University of the Philippines wing erupted for 21 points against Perpetual, then followed it up with 25 versus San Sebastian — back-to-back outings that have instantly reshaped Letran’s attack.
Those numbers aren’t a luxury for this group. They’re a necessity.
The Knights are navigating this campaign without key contributors Deo Cuajao and Jun Roque, and that absence could have left a gaping hole. Instead, Walker has stepped straight into the spotlight, giving Allen Ricardo and his staff a dynamic 6-foot-4 presence who can score, create, and plug multiple gaps on both ends.
Around him, Letran still expects big nights from the likes of Chad Gammad and Titing Manalili, who now shoulder even more responsibility as the supporting cast around their new focal point. The Knights have been clinical so far; now they must be relentless.
Because across from them is a desperate team.
EAC chasing a breakthrough
EAC has yet to taste victory this season, but the Generals have shown they’re not far off. Their latest outing, a narrow 91-87 defeat to Arellano last Tuesday, underlined both their potential and their frustration.
They’re close. They just haven’t finished.
To finally break the slump in this edition of the grand old league, the Generals will lean heavily on Jude Bagay, Kyle Ochavo, MJ Raymundo, and Jacob Shanoda. That core has the firepower to trouble anyone, and a fast start against a confident Letran side could tilt the mood early.
For the Knights, an impressive performance isn’t just about staying unbeaten. It’s about sending a message that, even shorthanded, they remain very much the standard.
Red Lions on the rebound
The curtain-raiser at 3 p.m. carries a different kind of tension.
San Beda, chasing a third straight crown, is still searching for its first win of Season 102. The Red Lions have had a stuttering start: a setback against the College of Saint Benilde Blazers, followed by a frustrating pause when their game against the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers was called off due to heavy rains.
Rhythm? Hard to build it when the schedule stops you cold.
That’s why the matchup with the Lyceum Pirates comes with a sense of urgency. The two-peat holders need minutes, they need flow, and above all, they need a result.
Lyceum, as always, will test their composure with pace and pressure. For San Beda, this is about more than just recovering from an early loss. It’s about reminding the league who still wears the crown.
Two finalists. Two very different battles. By the end of Thursday night, we’ll know which of them still looks like a champion in waiting — and which one is suddenly running out of room for error.
