Letran Aims for Third Straight Win Against EAC in NCAA Clash
The finalists from last season return to center stage on Thursday, but they arrive in San Juan carrying very different burdens.
At 5 p.m., Letran steps onto the San Juan Arena floor with a perfect record and a growing sense of authority, chasing a 3-0 start in NCAA Season 102. Across from the Knights: an Emilio Aguinaldo College side still searching for its first win and desperate to stop the slide.
Before that, at 3 p.m., San Beda – the league’s reigning two-time champion – goes looking for something far more basic than a streak. The Red Lions just want a first victory.
Knights riding Walker’s wave
Letran has looked sharp, almost ruthless, in its opening two outings. The performances have been described as clinical, but there’s nothing sterile about the way their new weapon has changed the team’s pulse.
The “missing piece” they talked about in the off-season has a name: Denzil Walker.
The former University of the Philippines standout has wasted no time justifying the hype, dropping 21 points against Perpetual and following it up with 25 against San Sebastian. Those numbers are not a luxury for the Muralla-based squad; they are a necessity.
Letran is navigating this campaign without key figures Deo Cuajao and Jun Roque, and that absence could have left a gaping hole. Walker has stepped straight into it, giving the Knights a versatile 6-foot-4 presence who can score in bunches and tilt matchups in their favor.
But this isn’t a one-man show. Coach Allen Ricardo will again lean on the support cast that has quietly done the heavy lifting. Chad Gammad’s interior work and Titing Manalili’s energy on both ends will be crucial if Letran wants to keep control of the game and reaffirm its early dominance.
They will need to be sharp. An “impressive outing” is more than a target; it’s almost a requirement against an EAC team that has been stung by close calls and is overdue for a breakthrough.
EAC desperate to stop the bleeding
The Generals have yet to taste victory this season, but they showed fight in a narrow 91-87 loss to Arellano last Tuesday. That kind of defeat lingers. It also fuels.
EAC will again turn to Jude Bagay, Kyle Ochavo, MJ Raymundo and Jacob Shanoda to carry the scoring and playmaking load. They know what they’re up against: an unbeaten Letran side playing with swagger and rhythm.
For the Generals, the mission is simple and brutal – break the slump, or watch the season start to slip away.
Red Lions on a recovery mission
If Letran’s story is one of early momentum, San Beda’s is about stalled progress.
The Red Lions, chasing a rare three-peat, have yet to put a win on the board. A setback against the College of Saint Benilde Blazers has already applied early pressure, and a scheduled game against the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers was wiped out by heavy rains.
That cancellation robbed San Beda of valuable court time and a chance to reset. Now they walk into their 3 p.m. clash with the Lyceum Pirates needing to make up for both the lost minutes and the sting of defeat.
The stakes are clear. A win steadies the champions and restarts their title defense with purpose. Another stumble, and the chase for a third straight crown suddenly feels a lot steeper.
Two finalists. Two very different paths so far. By Thursday night, the NCAA landscape could look a lot more familiar – or this season might start writing a very different script.
