#FilOil2019: Letran upends debuting FEU for back-to-back wins

SAN JUAN -- Letran bucked the early exit of Jerick Balanza to take down FEU, 75-70 to share the Group B lead with Lyceum early Friday evening.

Balanza left the game with a suspected injury early in the second quarter, but super subs Larry Muyang and Renato Ular teamed up for the Knights in their second consecutive win.

Muyang led Letran in scoring with 12, and Ular followed suit with 10 as coach Bonnie Tan got the brightest of starts to his Letran stint to go 2-0.

Wendel Comboy, Joseph Nunag and LJ Gonzales each had 16 for the Tamaraws who dropped their opening game of the preseason.

FEU even took the lead after Balanza's enforced absence, with a 15-4 blitz giving them a 34-33 lead with 2:01 left in the first half.

But Letran answered that with a 9-0 run in between the second and third to grab a 48-36 lead before settling to a 1-point advantage heading into the fourth.

The Knights put the clamps on Olsen Racela's Tams in the final four minutes, retaking the lead for good on a Muyang bucket with 4 minutes left to fend off any late charge by FEU.

The Scores:

Letran 75 -- Muyang 12, Ular 10, Ambohot 9, Caralipio 9, Olivario 7, Balanza 7, Balagasay 6, Mina 6, Pambid 5, Yu 4, Reyson 0, Sangalang 0, Gallano 0

FEU 70 -- Comboy 16, Gonzales 16, Nunag 16, Bienes 8, Tchuente 4, Flores 4, Ebona 2, Alforque, 4, Casino 2, Stockton 0, Torres 0, Celzo 0, Gloria 0

Quarter scores: 22-15, 41-36, 56-55, 75-70

(photo: FilOil FlyingV Sports)