“WASN’T really a stunner. Saw it coming from a mile away.”
These were the words that College of St. Benilde coach Charles Tiu posted on social media promptly after reigning two-time champion Letran absorbed a 71-87 loss to also-ran Jose Rizal University last Wednesday.
The Knights’ setback sparked speculations that they intentionally “lost” to avoid facing rival San Beda University in the coming playoffs.
Tiu maintained Letran gained a favorable matchup in the Final Four of the 98th NCAA basketball tournament.
“No disrespect to Lyceum, but San Beda is San Beda,” Tiu told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday. “It was smart of Letran to avoid them in the Final Four.”
With the Knights’ defeat in the last day of eliminations, the Blazers wound up No. 1 with a 14-4 mark and will take on the Red Lions in the semifinals.
Second-ranked Letran finished with a 13-5 card and will battle third seed Lyceum.
The Final Four of the country’s oldest collegiate league gets going Tuesday next week at The Arena in San Juan, with both CSB and the Knights having twice-to-beat incentives.
Letran lost both its duels with the Yuri Escueta-mentored San Beda five in the elims — 68-76 when they first met last Sept. 30 and 77-91 in their second-round tiff nine days ago.
