Rookie guard shows he’s built for bright lights, leads Lions past Knights
Agjanti Miller hadn’t played in a San Beda–Letran rivalry game before. But on Sunday, the rookie guard looked like he’d been built for it.
Miller scored 22 points and grabbed five rebounds, fueling San Beda’s 68–58 win over Letran to stay unbeaten in Group B of the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament.
“There’s really no extra motivation, but every time you play Letran you know they’re a strong team that you really have to prepare for,” said head coach Yuri Escueta, whose squad now holds a 2–0 record. “I even look at them (Knights) as an all-star team, so I tip my hats off to my guys for playing defense and guarding our defensive targets.”
With Yukien Andrada unavailable, Bryan Sajonia stepped up to score 11 points, helping the Red Lions keep their composure in a back-and-forth affair. Miller, though, was the difference—scoring timely buckets, attacking in transition and hitting from deep when San Beda needed separation.
The Red Lions opened the fourth quarter with a flurry to wrest control, and Miller sealed the deal with a two-handed slam in the closing minute.
Letran fell to 0–2, despite a breakout 13-point, six-assist performance from Jonathan Manalili, who also added two rebounds and two steals. Deo Cuajao scored 10, but the Knights couldn’t convert late as San Beda tightened its defense.
Altas, 2-0
In the earlier game, Perpetual Help leaned on a different kind of maturity.
Second-year forward Mark Gojo Cruz played with the poise of a veteran, steering the Altas to a 73–61 win over Lyceum for their own 2–0 start in Group A.
“I prepared myself with a mindset that even if I’m just a sophomore, I need to lead,” said Gojo Cruz, who finished with 18 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals. “My goal is to lead my team on defense, and today, it’s a bonus that my offense clicked.”
The Altas, coming off a victory over San Sebastian, led wire-to-wire and kept Lyceum at bay with help from Jearico Nunez, who added 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Lyceum, which dropped to 0–2, was paced by Renz Villegas’ 18 points. But the Pirates struggled to contain Gojo Cruz’s activity on both ends, and fell behind early in the second half.
Perpetual now looks ahead to a showdown with fellow unbeaten Mapúa, with group supremacy on the line.
