2023 Letran Knights basketball team

2023 Letran Knights men's basketball

Record
Elims rank | #9
2023 record| 2-16
Head coach| Rensy Bajar (1st season)
Assistant coaches| Raymund Tiongco
Lou Gatumbato
Matthew Sia
John Paul Caparas
Captain| Kurt Reyson (4th season)

Seasons

<- 2022

2024 ->

The 2023 Letran Knights men's basketball team represented Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the 99th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the school year 2023-24 began on September 24, 2023, and the host school for the season is Jose Rizal University.[1]

The Knights, the Season 98 champions, began their campaign on September 24, 2023, against the hosts JRU Heavy Bombers in a losing effort.[2]

The four-peat seeking Knights concluded their campaign on a sour note, finished the elimination round at ninth place with 2 wins and 16 losses, the worst record in school history.[3]

Point guard Jay Garupil bagged the inaugural Freshman of the Year award.[4]

## Coaching changes

[edit]

Bonnie Tan formally parted ways with the Knights as he was named as the new head coach of NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA.[5]

Tan was replaced by his deputy, Rensy Bajar, as the new head coach of the Knights.[6]

Joining Bajar on the side lines are Raymund Tiongco, Lou Gatumbato, Matthew Sia, and John Paul Caparas.

## Roster changes

[edit]

The Knights lost five of its key players from the 2022 championship team. Fran Yu, King Caralipio, Brent Paraiso, Louie Sangalang, and Tommy Olivario have used up all their playing years & were drafted in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Former UST Growling Tiger and De La Salle Green Archer guard Deo Cuajao will finally play for the Knights after redshirting for one year.[7]

Among the rookies who will suit up for the Knights are Former UST Tiger Cub James Jumao-as, Paolo Galvez, and Jay Garupil.[8]

Former UST Growling Tiger Ira Bataller, who joined the Knights in 2020, will finally play this season.

## Roster

[edit]

Letran Knights roster

Players | Coaches
| Pos. | No. | Nat. | Name  | Height  | Year  | High School

|
|
|
|
|
|

SF | 17  |  | Ariar, Kint Devone I.  | 6'3" (1.91m)  | 3rd  | Saint Dominic Savio Learning Center
SG | 24  |  | Bojorcelo, Josef Enrico  | 6'2" (1.88m)  | 2nd  | Caybiga High School
PF | 23  |  | Brillantes, Ken Randolph  | 6'5" (1.96m)  | 1st  | University of Santo Tomas
SG | 10  |  | Cuajao, Vincent Petdeo D.  | 6'0" (1.83m)  | 1st  | Holy Child College of Davao
PG | 12  |  | Fajardo, Nicko M.  | 6'0" (1.83m)  | 1st  | College of the Immaculate Conception
PG | 2  |  | Garupil, Jay Stephen  | 6'0" (1.83m)  | 1st  | Asian College Dumaguete
SF | 5  |  | Go, Rafael S.  | 6'4" (1.93m)  | 2nd  | Chiang Kai Shek College
PF | 35  |  | Guarino, Neil Andrey A.  | 6'6" (1.98m)  | 4th  | Colegio de San Juan de Letran
PF | 9  |  | Javillonar, Marc Paolo J.  | 6'6" (1.98m)  | 4th  | Nazareth School of National University
PG | 20  |  | Jumao-as, James  | 6'0" (1.83m)  | 1st  | University of Santo Tomas
SG | 39  |  | Monje, Kobe Bryan  | 6'3" (1.91m)  | 2nd  | Colegio de San Juan de Letran
PF | 1  |  | Nunag, Joseph Jr  | 6'5" (1.96m)  | 1st  | Dela Paz Libutad High School
PG | 8  |  | Reyson, Kurt Spencer E. (C) | 5'10" (1.78m)  | 4th  | Colegio de San Juan de Letran
PF | 4  |  | Santos, Kevin Kyle  | 6'6" (1.98m)  | 2nd  | St. Augustine Institute of Pampanga
SG | 7  |  | Tolentino, Kyle Dominic P.  | 6'3" (1.91m)  | 3rd  | Colegio de San Juan de Letran
SG | 18  |  | Bautista, Justine  | 6'3" (1.91m)  | 2nd  | Colegio de San Juan de Letran
PF | 0  |  | Bataller, Ira Spencer  | 6'5" (1.96m)  | 1st  | Arellano University
PG | 11  |  | Galvez, Kier Paolo  | 5'10" (1.78m)  | 1st  | St. Jerome School of Novaliches

Head coach

* Rensy Bajar

Assistant coach(es)

* Raymund Tiongco
* Lou Gatumbato
* Matthew Sia
* John Paul Caparas

Team manager

* Joey Uy

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* Injured

### Depth chart

[edit]

Pos.  | Starting 5  | Bench 1  | Bench 2  |  |

|
|
|
|
|

C | Javillonar  | Santos  | Brillantes  |  |
PF | Ariar  | Guarino  | Go  |  |
SF | Monje  | Tolentino  | Bojorcelo  |  |
SG | Cuajao  | Garupil  | Jumao-as  |  |
PG | Reyson  | Fajardo  | Nunag  |  |

## NCAA Season 99 games results

[edit]

Further information: NCAA Season 99 basketball tournaments

Elimination games were played in a double round-robin format. All games were aired on GMA, 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 24  | 3:00 p.m.  | JRU Heavy Bombers | Mall of Asia Arena • Pasay | L 79–85OT | 0–1
Game Highs: Points: Reyson – 18; Rebounds: Javillonar – 11; Assists: Fajardo, Reyson – 4 each

Sep 27  | 4:00 p.m.  | Lyceum Pirates | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 69–70 | 0–2
Game Highs: Points: Reyson – 17; Rebounds: Go, Santos – 8 each; Assists: Reyson – 6

Oct 1  | 10:00 a.m.  | EAC Generals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 65–75 | 0–3
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 12; Rebounds: Go – 6; Assists: Reyson – 5

Oct 6  | 4:00 p.m.  | San Beda Red Lions | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 63–68 | 0–4
Game Highs: Points: Reyson – 22; Rebounds: Monje – 7; Assists: Ariar – 4

Oct 8  | 12:20 p.m.  | Arellano Chiefs | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 80–87 | 0–5
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 18; Rebounds: Monje, Nunag – 11 each; Assists: Reyson – 7

Oct 11  | 4:00 p.m.  | Mapúa Cardinals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 71–77 | 0–6
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 20; Rebounds: Santos – 11; Assists: Reyson – 6

Oct 15  | 12:20 p.m.  | Perpetual Altas | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 59–74 | 0–7
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 15; Rebounds: Nunag, Santos – 12 each; Assists: Ariar, Reyson – 3 each

Oct 18  | 4:00 p.m.  | San Sebastian Stags | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 86–71 | 1–7
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 14; Rebounds: Santos – 13; Assists: Ariar – 5

Oct 22  | 2:40 p.m.  | Benilde Blazers | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 55–68 | 1–8
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 11; Rebounds: Ariar – 11; Assists: Fajardo – 3
Tenth place at 1 win–8 losses after 1st round
Second round of eliminations
Oct 25  | 2:00 p.m.  | Perpetual Altas | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 61–73 | 1–9
Game Highs: Points: Javillonar – 14; Rebounds: Javillonar – 8; Assists: Garupil – 5

Oct 28  | 3:00 p.m.  | Mapúa Cardinals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 66–69 | 1–10
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 12; Rebounds: Ariar – 8; Assists: Bataller – 5

Nov 3  | 1:30 p.m.  | EAC Generals | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 69–82 | 1–11
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 14; Rebounds: Monje, Santos – 7 each; Assists: Cuajao, Reyson – 3 each

Nov 5  | 12:00 p.m.  | Lyceum Pirates | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 79–85 | 1–12
Game Highs: Points: Cuajao – 24; Rebounds: Santos – 9; Assists: Fajardo, Garupil – 3 each

Nov 8  | 1:30 p.m.  | San Sebastian Stags | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 75–94 | 1–13
Game Highs: Points: Garupil – 16; Rebounds: Garupil – 6; Assists: Garupil – 5

Nov 11  | 3:00 p.m.  | JRU Heavy Bombers | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 74–79 | 1–14
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 18; Rebounds: Ariar, Garupil, Monje, Santos – 5 each; Assists: Garupil – 11

Nov 14  | 1:30 p.m.  | Arellano Chiefs | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | W 67–58 | 2–14
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 13; Rebounds: Garupil – 6; Assists: Garupil – 3

Nov 19  | 3:30 p.m.  | Benilde Blazers | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 54–72 | 2–15
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 18; Rebounds: Javillonar, Monje – 9 each; Assists: Bataller – 3

Nov 24  | 3:30 p.m.  | San Beda Red Lions | Filoil EcoOil Centre • San Juan | L 68–77 | 2–16
Game Highs: Points: Monje – 17; Rebounds: Monje – 11; Assists: Garupil – 5
Ninth place after 2nd round (1 win–8 losses in the 2nd round)

Times listed above are in UTC+08:00

Source: GMA Network

## Awards

[edit]

Player  | Award

|

Jay Garupil | NCAA Freshman of the Year

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Isaga, JR (September 21, 2023). "NCAA Season 99 kicks off with expanded calendar, MOA Arena basketball opener". Rappler. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
2. ^ Isaga, JR (September 24, 2023). "NCAA Season 99 host JRU stuns Letran in OT opening game thriller". Rappler. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
3. ^ Jacinto, Angelo (November 25, 2023). "Rensy Bajar looks back on the worst season in Letran history". SPIN.ph. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
4. ^ Isaga, JR (December 10, 2023). "Mapua prodigal son Clint Escamis cruises to NCAA MVP award". Rappler. Retrieved December 10, 2023.
5. ^ Fuentes, Rommel Jr. (April 23, 2023). "NCAA: Bonnie Tan, Letran part ways after three-peat". Inquirer Sports. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
6. ^ "Letran names Rensy Bajar as new head coach". Manila Bulletin. April 24, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
7. ^ Bergado, Aulyn Gwen (September 25, 2023). "Cuajao Delivers in Anticipated NCAA Debut". The LANCE. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
8. ^ "James Jumao-as, four other rookies join Letran for NCAA Season 99". SPIN.ph. May 20, 2023. Retrieved November 6, 2023.

* v
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Letran Knights basketball seasons

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Boldface denotes championship; Italic denotes final four appearance; Grayed out denotes no tournament held
*[ Elims rank ]: Ranking after the elimination round
*[Pos.]: Position(s)
*[No.]: Jersey number
*[Nat.]: Nationality
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