2015 Letran Knights basketball team explained

Ncaaseason:91
Team:Letran Knights
Year:2015
Finalfour:1
Elim Rank:2
Elim Record:13–5
Head Coach:Aldin Ayo
Hcyear:1st
Record:16–7
Captain:Mark Cruz
Captainyear:5th
Asst Coach1:Glenn Capacio
Asst Coach2:Jose Luis Gonzalez
Asst Coach3:Kerby Raymundo
Asst Coach4:Napoleon Garcia

The 2015 Letran Knights men's basketball team represented Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the 91st season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the school year 2015-16 began on June 27, 2015, and the host school for the season was Mapúa Institute of Technology.[1]

The Knights finished the double round-robin eliminations tied at first and second places together with the defending champions San Beda Red Lions with 13 wins against 5 losses.[2] In the classification match, the Knights failed to clinched the top seed, but still got the twice-to-beat advantage going in to the Final Four.[3] In the Final Four, the Knights beat the Mapúa Cardinals led by Nigerian center and newly crowned Season 91 MVP Allwell Oraeme, 91–90, and went on to the Finals to face the defending champions San Beda.[4]

The Knights then defeated the Red Lions in three games, with the final game reached in overtime, ending a ten-year title drought.[5] [6] [7] Mark Cruz was named NCAA Finals MVP, averaging 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and three steals.[8]

Roster

Depth chart

Depth chart

Coaching changes

Letran officials hired Aldin Ayo as the new head coach for the Knights, replacing Caloy Garcia.[9] Ayo, then a Sorsogon CIty councilor and head coach of the city's youth program, was the former point guard of the Letran Knights in 1998 & 1999.[10]

Added to the sidelines were former PBA player and former head coach of FEU Tamaraws Glenn Capacio, former FEU assistant coach and Letran alumnus Louie Gonzalez, and Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao as its team manager.[11] [12]

Roster changes

The Knights lost two of its key players last season, Ford Ruaya and Jamil Gabawan, as they have used up their eligibility.[13] Chester Saldua and Daryl Singontiko opted to transfer to University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, while Fidel Castro and John Tambeling also transferred to PCU.

Holdovers were Mark Cruz, Kevin Racal, Rey Nambatac, McJour Luib and Bong Quinto. Added to the roster were Jerrick Balanza and Tommy Gedaria from the Letran Squires program, and transferee Jom Sollano.

Suspensions

  • The NCAA Management Committee slapped Letran head coach Aldin Ayo a one-game suspension for throwing a monobloc chair in protest of a foul called on guard McJour Luib in the Knights’ 83–78 victory against Lyceum, which earned him a technical foul.[14] Ayo already earned a warning when the Knights were playing against the San Sebastian Stags after he removed an eyeglass of his assistant and gave it to the referee.

NCAA Season 91 games results

Elimination games were played in a double round-robin format. All games were aired on ABS-CBN Sports and Action.

DateTimeOpponentVenueResultRecord
First round of eliminations
1st place after 1st round (8 wins–1 loss)
Second round of eliminations
Tied at 1st–2nd place at 13 wins–5 losses (5 wins–4 losses in the 2nd round)
Playoff for first-seed
Advanced to semifinals
Final Four
Letran wins series in one game
Finals
Knights clinched 17th NCAA championship

Source: ABS-CBN Sports

Awards

PlayerAward
Mark CruzNCAA Finals Most Valuable Player
Aldin AyoNCAA Coach of the Year

Notes and References

  1. Web site: June 27, 2015 . LOOK: Highlights of NCAA Season 91 kick off . April 12, 2022 . ABS-CBN News.
  2. Web site: Icasiano . Nissi . October 9, 2015 . Letran eliminates Perpetual Help, notches twice-to-beat advantage . April 12, 2022 . Rappler.
  3. Web site: October 13, 2015 . NCAA: San Beda clinches top spot with win over Letran; Mapua secures Final Four berth . April 12, 2022 . CNN Philippines . April 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412012253/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/sports/2015/10/13/NCAA-season-78-mapua-arellano-san-beda-letran.html . dead .
  4. Web site: Leongson . Randolph . October 20, 2015 . ‘Small ball’ works as Letran aims to end 10-year title drought . April 12, 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  5. Web site: Flores-Colina . Celest . October 23, 2015 . Letran nips San Beda to go 1-0 in NCAA Finals . April 12, 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  6. Web site: Icasiano . Nissi . October 27, 2015 . San Beda wins Game 2, forces NCAA Finals rubber match with Letran . April 12, 2022 . Rappler.
  7. Web site: Icasiano . Nissi . October 29, 2015 . Letran beats San Beda in Game 3, wins first NCAA title in 10 years . April 12, 2022 . Rappler.
  8. Web site: Lozada . Bong . October 29, 2015 . Letran ends San Beda’s reign, claims NCAA Season 91 crown . April 12, 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  9. Web site: Terrado . Reuben . November 17, 2014 . Caloy Garcia slighted by Letran move to create search committee for coach: 'I don't want to be the last option' . April 12, 2022 . SPIN.ph.
  10. Web site: Terrado . Reuben . November 29, 2014 . Letran set to name new head coach. Find out who he is . April 12, 2022 . SPIN.ph.
  11. Web site: Li . Matthew . January 2, 2018 . Who is Louie Gonzalez? . April 12, 2022 . Tiebreaker Times.
  12. Web site: Leongson . Randolph . July 2, 2015 . Pacquiao named as Letran team manager . April 12, 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  13. Web site: Galledo . Frankie . June 25, 2015 . Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights: NCAA 91 Starter Pack . April 12, 2022 . Tiebreaker Times.
  14. Web site: Leongson . Randolph . August 6, 2015 . Letran coach Aldin Ayo, Mapua’s Atoy Co get one-game ban . April 12, 2022 . Philippine Daily Inquirer.

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