# 2024 Letran Knights basketball team

The 2024 Letran Knights men's basketball team represented Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the centennial season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the school year 2024-25 began on September 7, 2024, and the host school for the season is Lyceum of the Philippines University.
The Knights finished the eliminations at sixth place with eight wins and ten losses, an improvement from last year's disastrous season. They missed the Final Four for the second consecutive time.
Letran big man Kevin Santos earned a spot in the All-Defensive Team honors.

## Coaching changes

Letran officials named former Letran Squires' mentor and alumnus Allen Ricardo as the new head coach of the Knights after previous head coach Rensy Bajar agreed to a buyout of his contract.
Joining Ricardo on the side lines are former Letran Knight and current PBA player Rey Nambatac, and Mike Buendia, who had a stint with the Knights as an assistant coach in 2013.

## Roster changes

The Knights lost five of its key players from previous season. Kurt Reyson graduated from college, while Kint Ariar and Kyle Tolentino decided to forego their remaining playing years. NCAA Season 99 Freshman of the Year Jay Garupil transferred to JRU, while Paolo Galvez transferred to FEU.
Transferees Jimboy Estrada and Edzel Galoy will finally play for the Knights after redshirting for a year. Estrada previously played in NAASCU for St. Clare College of Caloocan, while Galoy was a former Altas player who last played in Season 97 & 98. Meanwhile, former De La Salle Green Archer point guard Nate Montecillo will also suit up for the Knights.
Among the rookies who will suit up for the Knights are former Letran Squire Jovel Baliling, CJ Delfino, Fil-Am Jace Miller, and big man Christian Vergara.

## Discipline

* Letran captain Pao Javillonar was initially handed a three-game suspension after being listed in the lineup of the PBA team Converge FiberXers during the 39th Kadayawan Invitational Tournament in Davao last July. Javillonar was drafted 19th overall by the FiberXers. After Letran officials appealed his case, the NCAA Management Committee decided to reduce his suspension to two games. Javillonar missed the Knights' first two games against San Sebastian and JRU.
* Letran rookie guard Jimboy Estrada was handed a one-game suspension after he was ejected late in the fourth quarter of their game against Perpetual Altas in the second round after getting whistled for a technical foul following an unsportsmanlike behavior towards one of the game officials.

## Roster
### Depth chart

| Pos. | Starting 5 | Bench 1 | Bench 2 |
| C | Santos | Nunag | Go |
| PF | Javillonar | Dimaano | Pradella |
| SF | Cuajao | Monje | Galoy |
| SG | Estrada | Jumao-as | Baliling |
| PG | Montecillo | Miller | Delfino |

## NCAA Season 100 games results

Elimination games are played in a double round-robin format. All games are aired on GTV and Heart of Asia Channel, and livestreamed via the Facebook pages and YouTube channels of NCAA Philippines and GMA Sports.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Record |
| First round of eliminations ||||||
| Sep 8 | 12:00 p.m. | San Sebastian Stags | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 84-91 | 0-1 |
| Game Highs: Points: Jumao-as, Monje – 16 each; Rebounds: Santos – 10; Assists: Cuajao, Estrada, Santos – 3 each ||||||
| Sep 13 | 12:00 p.m. | JRU Heavy Bombers | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 70-62 | 1-1 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 22; Rebounds: Estrada – 9; Assists: Miller – 5 ||||||
| Sep 17 | 11:00 a.m. | Arellano Chiefs | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 86-79 | 2-1 |
| Game Highs: Points: Javillonar – 28; Rebounds: Estrada, Javillonar – 8 each; Assists: Miller – 3 ||||||
| Sep 20 | 2:30 p.m. | Mapúa Cardinals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 62-77 | 2-2 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 19; Rebounds: Estrada – 9; Assists: Estrada – 6 ||||||
| Sep 22 | 2:30 p.m. | Benilde Blazers | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 71-69 | 3-2 |
| Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 20; Rebounds: Estrada – 5; Assists: Montecillo – 6 ||||||
| Sep 25 | 2:30 p.m. | EAC Generals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 75-73 | 4-2 |
| Game Highs: Points: Santos – 17; Rebounds: Nunag – 7; Assists: Estrada – 7 ||||||
| Sep 28 | 2:30 p.m. | Perpetual Altas | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 82-73$^{3OT}$ | 5-2 |
| Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 19; Rebounds: Estrada, Santos – 15 each; Assists: Estrada – 7 ||||||
| Oct 1 | 2:30 p.m. | San Beda Red Lions | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 64-66 | 5-3 |
| Game Highs: Points: Santos – 18; Rebounds: Nunag – 10; Assists: Estrada – 8 ||||||
| Oct 5 | 2:30 p.m. | Lyceum Pirates | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 78-66 | 6-3 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 19; Rebounds: Santos – 11; Assists: Estrada – 7 ||||||
| 4th place with 6 wins–3 losses after 1st round ||||||
| Second round of eliminations ||||||
| Oct 11 | 12:00 p.m. | Lyceum Pirates | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 68-91 | 6-4 |
| Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 16; Rebounds: Santos – 10; Assists: Estrada – 4 ||||||
| Oct 13 | 12:00 p.m. | Perpetual Altas | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 61-71 | 6-5 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 14; Rebounds: Estrada, Santos – 7 each; Assists: Estrada – 10 ||||||
| Oct 18 | 2:30 p.m. | Mapúa Cardinals | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 78-86 | 6-6 |
| Game Highs: Points: Miller, Monje – 14 each; Rebounds: Santos – 6; Assists: Montecillo – 4 ||||||
| Oct 22 | 11:00 a.m. | San Sebastian Stags | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | W 101-98$^{2OT}$ | 7-6 |
| Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 34; Rebounds: Santos – 11; Assists: Montecillo – 6 ||||||
| Oct 26 | 2:30 p.m. | JRU Heavy Bombers | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 86-90 | 7-7 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 29; Rebounds: Go – 11; Assists: Estrada – 5 ||||||
| Oct 30 | 11:00 a.m. | EAC Generals | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 58-68 | 7-8 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada, Nunag – 10 each; Rebounds: Estrada – 14; Assists: Estrada – 6 ||||||
| Nov 8 | 2:30 p.m. | Benilde Blazers | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 78-83 | 7-9 |
| Game Highs: Points: Javillonar – 31; Rebounds: Estrada – 8; Assists: Estrada – 11 ||||||
| Nov 10 | 2:30 p.m. | San Beda Red Lions | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | W 75-71 | 8-9 |
| Game Highs: Points: Estrada – 24; Rebounds: Estrada, Javillonar – 5 each; Assists: Estrada – 9 ||||||
| Nov 13 | 11:00 a.m. | Arellano Chiefs | Filoil EcoOil Center • San Juan | L 65-67 | 8-10 |
| Game Highs: Points: Monje – 24; Rebounds: Javillonar – 8; Assists: Cuajao, Estrada – 4 each ||||||
| 6th place after the 2nd round (2 wins–7 losses in the 2nd round) ||||||
Times listed above are in UTC+08:00

## Awards

| Player | Award |
| Kevin Santos | NCAA All-Defensive Team |