LETRAN unleashed its full might on Arellano University and hammered out a 106-85 victory yesterday to keep the lead in the 99th NCAA juniors’ basketball tourney at The Arena in San Juan.
The back-to-back title-seeking Squires went on a devastating 37-18 opening quarter salvo and never looked back there to post their fifth straight win and sixth overall in seven starts.
Daniel Padilla and Jolo Navarro presided over the carnage, with the former firing a game-best 28 points and the latter coming through with a massive double-double effort of 19 points and 23 rebounds.
The dynamic duo sent the Braves down on their knees and their sixth defeat against a win.
San Sebastian turned back College of St. Benilde 76-67 that kept them perched inside the magic four with a 5-3 record and in striking distance for a shot at a place in the top two.
Rion Porcadas sizzled with 22 points, including five booming triples, while Jhun Penaverde and Ruvic Danag chipped in 19 and 12 points, respectively.
Porcadas delivered the coup de grace as he uncorked a 10-point barrage in a fourth quarter run that left the Junior Blazers sputtering at 2-5.
