NCAA: Player of the Week Estrada tows Letran to top seed, quarterfinals edge

Colegio de San Juan de Letran’s Jimboy Estrada against San Beda University in NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball. Angela Davocol/NCAA Philippines.MANILA — Jimboy Estrada rose to the occasion as Colegio de San Juan de Letran became the first team to secure a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the quarterfinals of NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball.

Playing without the injured Jonathan Manalili for the sixth time, the Knights leaned on Estrada’s explosion to torch Arellano University, 91-77, and clinch the top seed in Group B, with his timely performance also earning him the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Player of the Week nod for October 26 to 30.

The third-year guard was crucial on both ends, finishing with 25 points on 5-of-8 shooting from long range, while also tallying four rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks as Letran dominated by as much as 23 points.

Estrada also scored eight points on two triples during Arellano’s fourth-quarter rally that cut the Chiefs’ deficit to 10 with just over six minutes remaining, helping the Knights hold on for the win.

But for the 24-year-old, his performance was simply a matter of stepping up for his crew as they enter the crucial stages of the season.

“Ang sa akin naman, individually, pina-practice ko naman yun,” said Estrada, who matched his season-high in scoring as the Knights avenged their 82-81 first-round loss to Arellano.

“And credits sa teammates ko, kasi ‘di ko naman makukuha yung mga puntos kong ganun kung hindi kami dume-depensa,” he added.

The Knights now look to build momentum heading into the playoffs with only two games left in their group-stage assignments, but head coach Allen Ricardo wants Estrada to lead by example not only through his scoring but also through his consistency on defense.

“Ang sinabi ko, unahin namin yung depensa namin, then everything will be easier for us. Ang mentality namin, turn defense into offense. ‘Di namin tinitigan yung twice-to-beat,” said Ricardo, as Estrada edged Jose Rizal University’s Sanlea Peñaverde, San Beda University’s Dan Marcelo, Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Jude Bagay, and College of Saint Benilde’s Jhomel Ancheta for the weekly citation.