Daniel Padilla drops 28 as Letran Squires maul Arellano for 5th straight win

Published February 28, 2024 1:10pm

Updated February 28, 2024 1:10pm

Daniel Padilla rediscovered his form to star in Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s 106-85 thrashing of slumping Arellano University in the NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball tournament on Wednesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Padilla dropped a game-high 28 points on an impressive 72.2 shooting percentage to go along with six rebounds, three assists, and two steals as the defending champions Squires tallied their fifth straight win for an improved 6-1 card. 

The Braves, however, slipped to their fifth consecutive losses to go 1-6. 

Jolo Navarro was also instrumental in Letran’s 21-point romp of Arellano, collecting a massive double-double of 19 points and 22 rebounds together with two swats and a dime to step up in the absence of George Diamante late in the game as the latter was fouled out with still 6:50 left to play. 

Padilla nailed back-to-back baskets to give Letran a whopping 35-point cushion in the third period, 74-39, before Arellano answered with a 19-6 rampage that allowed the Braves to cut the deficit to 25, 58-80.

Borgy Reguera and Axel Mendoza continued to connive in the fourth, even slicing the gap to just 16 after the former dropped a bucket for a 78-94 affair in the final 3:42. 

Padilla and the rest of the crew, however, held off the late rally from Arellano to complete yet another lopsided victory. 

In the first game, San Sebastian College-Recoletos improved its Final Four chances after pulling off a 76-67 triumph against College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Green Hills. 

The Staglets copped back-to-back wins to hike their standing to 5-2 while the Greenies dropped to 2-5.

Rion Porcadas churned out a double-double outing of 22 points and 10 rebounds spiked with three assists and one steal while Jhun Penaverde and Ruvic Danag chipped in 19 and 12 markers apiece. 

—Bea Micaller/JKC, GMA Integrated News