Letran Aims for Third Straight Win Against EAC
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, walking very different paths as Season 102 slowly finds its rhythm.
Knights riding high, Walker in full stride
Letran has looked ruthless through two games. Clinical, composed, and already playing like a team that knows exactly what it wants from this campaign.
At 5 p.m., the Knights try to stretch that perfect start to 3-0 when they face the still-winless Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, a matchup that on paper tilts heavily toward the Muralla side—but one that carries the familiar danger of a desperate opponent.
The “missing piece” they talked about in the preseason has arrived and wasted no time announcing himself. Denzil Walker, the newest Knight and former University of the Philippines wing, has stepped in and stepped up: 21 points against Perpetual, 25 more against San Sebastian. Two games, two big statements.
Letran needs every bit of that production. They’re chasing this run without key pieces Deo Cuajao and Jun Roque, and the margin for error in a long NCAA grind is slim. Walker’s 6-foot-4 frame and versatility give the Knights a different dimension—someone who can score in bunches, plug gaps, and tilt matchups in their favor.
But Walker is not expected to carry it alone. Coach Allen Ricardo will again lean on the support of Chad Gammad and Titing Manalili, both crucial in maintaining the Knights’ balance at both ends of the floor. If those three click, Letran’s offense hums. If they don’t, the door swings open for EAC.
The Knights know style points can wait, but an impressive outing here matters. The Generals are 0-for-the-season but far from lifeless, and nothing flips a locker room mood faster than taking down an unbeaten contender.
EAC chasing a breakthrough
EAC walks into this one with frustration still fresh.
The Generals are coming off a stinging 91-87 defeat to Arellano last Tuesday, a narrow loss that underlined both their potential and their fragility in closing time. They were right there. They just couldn’t finish.
They will again turn to Jude Bagay, Kyle Ochavo, MJ Raymundo, and Jacob Shanoda to try to finally crack the win column. That core has shown enough to keep EAC competitive; what it hasn’t yet shown is the killer stretch needed to topple a side as organized and confident as Letran.
If the Generals can drag the Knights into a grind and keep Walker from getting comfortable early, this could turn edgy in a hurry. If not, Letran has the tools to turn it into another showcase.
Red Lions on reset after rain and early sting
Before the Knights take the floor, San Beda gets its own shot at a reset.
The two-peat chasing Red Lions face the Lyceum Pirates at 3 p.m., still searching for their first victory of Season 102. For a program used to dictating the pace of a season, that alone says plenty.
San Beda’s start has been choppy. A loss to the College of Saint Benilde Blazers stalled their early momentum, and just when they needed to respond, heavy rains wiped out their scheduled game against the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers. One defeat, one cancellation, and now a little more pressure than usual for September.
They don’t have the luxury of easing into this one. The Lions need to make up for lost time and lost ground, and Lyceum is not the kind of opponent that lets you play your way into form.
The Pirates thrive on chaos, on pace, on stretches where the game suddenly feels like it’s on fast-forward. For San Beda, the task is clear: impose their structure, tap into their championship habits, and turn frustration into fuel.
Two familiar powers. Two very different stories so far. By the end of Thursday at San Juan, we’ll know which one is truly back in character—and which one is still chasing its season.
