Congratulations to the Letran Knights on their impressive victory over the Benilde Blazers in the NCAA Season 98 finals! Yes, it was held in Ynares Center in Antipolo City, but the venue plays secondary to the epic playoff atmosphere generated by the series. It was a thrilling match that saw Brent Paraiso, King Caralipio, and Mark Louie Sangalang play their hearts out to secure the championship. Caralipio, in particular, may have played his best game in the NCAA as he was also awarded the Finals MVP award.
Despite the absence of team captain Fran Yu, the Knights played with fire and further established their dominance in Philippine collegiate basketball. They faced tough competition from the Blazers, but ultimately came out on top thanks to their confidence and composure. The Blazers, on the other hand, seemed to struggle under the spotlight, with Will Gozum having a particularly difficult time and Charles Tiu losing his cool as a coach and team motivator. Players like Migs Oczon, Robi Nayve, and JC Cullar also seemed to struggle, throwing bricks left and right.
Gozum, in particular, got the most damage from the showdown. The NCAA Season 98 MVP played poorly as he was reduced to a rebounder as his teammates were trying on triples as the main offensive option and because of his ineffectiveness, he got the ire of Charles Tiu. Gozum actually had a better second half as the Blazers tried to decrease the lead but still, Gozum took a backseat in lieu of the triples. It didn't help that Letran was hitting their own set of shots with Sangalang focusing on the inside and Caralipio and Paraiso unleashing hell either driving to the basket or hitting uncontested triples. Kurt Reyson, Kevin Santos, Kyle Tolentino, and Rafael Go also had their moments inside the court as the future Letran stars made it difficult for Benilde's bench crew to get their acts going.
Finally, Gozum's bad Game 3 ended when he gave Pao Javillonar a receipt for his butt move in Game 1 by nailing an insane head butt to cause his ejection.
The victory marks Letran's first back-to-back-to-back championship win since the 1982 to 1984 season and is a fitting end to the collegiate careers of Yu, Paraiso, and Tommy Olivario. The title should boost the 2023 PBA Draft chances of the three - especially Olivario who settled into a backup role in his final year of eligibility. Sangalang and Caralipio are reportedly contemplating whether or not they will return for Season 99, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the Knights.
And also, Bonnie Tan could get an upgrade after leading the Knights to three consecutive titles.
On the other hand, Benilde continues its championship drought, having yet to win a title since 2000. While it must be disappointing for the Blazers and their fans, they can take solace in the fact that they gave it their all and can use this experience as motivation to work even harder in the future.
Again, congratulations to the Letran Knights on their well-deserved victory. It was a pleasure to watch such a talented and dedicated team in action. Here's to many more victories in the future!