NCAA Season 97 men's basketball tournament

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

NCAA Season 97
Stronger Together. Buo ang Puso
Host school De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde
Men's FinalsG1G2Wins
Letran colors.svg  Letran Knights 68752
Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa Cardinals 63650
DurationMay 15 to 22, 2022
Arena(s) Filoil Flying V Arena
Finals MVPJeo Ambohot
Winning coach Bonnie Tan (2nd title)
SemifinalistsSan Beda colors.svg  San Beda Red Lions
UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas
TV network(s) GMA
< Season 95 (2019) 2021–22 Season 98 >

The NCAA Season 97 men's basketball tournament was the basketball tournaments of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) for its 2021–22 season. This was the first tournament since the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines, and since 2019 after the planned 96th season was cancelled because of the pandemic. Only the men's tournament for college students was held; the juniors' tournament for senior high school students last held in 2019 was canceled.

Contents

The Letran Knights won all games to become champions undefeated, defeating the Mapua Cardinals in the finals. Rhenz Abando was named season MVP.

Tournament format

The season will be held with five gamedays a week calendar, with two games being played in each gameday. These gamedays are scheduled from Tuesday to Sundays. [1]

Teams

All ten schools are participating.

TeamCollegeMen's coach
Arellano Chiefs Arellano University (AU)Cholo Martin
Letran Knights Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Bonnie Tan
Benilde Blazers De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Charles Tiu
EAC Generals Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC)Oliver Bunyi
JRU Heavy Bombers José Rizal University (JRU) Louie Gonzalez
Lyceum Pirates Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU)Gilbert Malabanan
Mapúa Cardinals Mapúa University (MU) Randy Alcantara
San Beda Red Lions San Beda University (SBU) Boyet Fernandez
San Sebastian Stags San Sebastian College – Recoletos (SSC-R) Edgar Macaraya
Perpetual Altas University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD)Myk Saguiguit

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of departureDateReplaced byDate
Perpetual Altas Frankie Lim ResignationSeptember 16, 2020 [2] Myk SaguiguitDecember 1, 2020 [3]
Lyceum Pirates Topex Robinson Signed by Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters September 12, 2020 [4] Jeff PerlasOctober 6, 2020 [5]
Benilde Blazers Ty Tang End of contractJune 18, 2021 [6] Charles Tiu December 2, 2021 [7]
Lyceum Pirates Jeff PerlasResignationDecember 13, 2021 [8] Gilbert MalabananDecember 13, 2021 [8]

Venues

Metro Manila location map.svg
Old Metro Manila location map.svg
Red pog.svg
St. Benilde Gym
Red pog.svg
Filoil Flying
V Centre

St. Benilde Gym in La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), Mandaluyong is the exclusive venue of the tournament. All games will be held behind closed doors, with teams being transported to LSGH from their schools every game day. [9]

In April, the NCAA announced that fans will be allowed back to watch the games at the venue for the last game day of the elimination round, the play-in tournament, semifinals, and finals, which was held at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. [10]

Squads

Each NCAA team can have up to 15 players on their roster.

Starting this season, all teams in all sports are banned from including foreigners in their rosters. [11] Squads were released on March 22. [12]

Elimination round

Team standings

PosTeamWLPCTGBQualification
1Letran colors.svg  Letran Knights 901.000 Twice-to-beat in the semifinals
2Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa Cardinals 72.778 [a] 2
3San Beda colors.svg  San Beda Red Lions 72.778 [a] 2Advance to third seed playoff
4CSB colors.svg  Benilde Blazers (H)54.5564
5UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas 45.444 [b] 5Proceed to qualifying playoff
6Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 45.444 [b] 5
7EAC colors.svg  EAC Generals 36.333 [c] 6
8SSC-R colors.svg  San Sebastian Stags 36.333 [c] 6
9Lyceum colors.svg  Lyceum Pirates 27.2227
10JRU colors.svg  JRU Heavy Bombers 18.1118
Source: GMA Network-NCAA Philippines
Rules for classification: 1) winning percentage; 2) head-to-head record; 3) head-to-head point differential; 4) overall point differential
(H) Hosts
Notes:
  1. 1 2 Head-to-head record: Mapúa 1–0 San Beda
  2. 1 2 Head-to-head record: Perpetual 1–0 Arellano
  3. 1 2 Head-to-head record: EAC 1–0 San Sebastian

Match-up results

Team ╲ Game123456789
Arellano colors.svg  Arellano SSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgCSB colors.svgUPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svgJRU colors.svg
Letran colors.svg  Letran CSB colors.svgArellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svgLyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svgJRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgSan Beda colors.svg
CSB colors.svg  Benilde Letran colors.svgLyceum colors.svgArellano colors.svgEAC colors.svgUPHD colors.svgJRU colors.svgMapua colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgSan Beda colors.svg
EAC colors.svg  EAC Mapua colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svgCSB colors.svgJRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgArellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svg
JRU colors.svg  JRU UPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svgCSB colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgArellano colors.svg
Lyceum colors.svg  Lyceum San Beda colors.svgCSB colors.svgEAC colors.svgJRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgArellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svg
Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa EAC colors.svgJRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgArellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svgCSB colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svg
San Beda colors.svg  San Beda Lyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svgJRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgArellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svgCSB colors.svgLetran colors.svg
SSC-R colors.svg  San Sebastian Arellano colors.svgUPHD colors.svgMapua colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svgJRU colors.svgCSB colors.svgLetran colors.svg
UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual JRU colors.svgSSC-R colors.svgLetran colors.svgArellano colors.svgCSB colors.svgMapua colors.svgSan Beda colors.svgLyceum colors.svgEAC colors.svg
Updated to match(es) played on April 29, 2022. Source: GMA Network-NCAA Philippines
  = Win;   = OT win;   = Loss;   = OT loss

Scores

Results on top and to the right of the dashes are for first-round games.

Teams AU CSJL CSB EAC JRU LPU MU SBU SSC-R UPHSD
Arellano Chiefs 67–9671–7670–5565–6266–7072–6368–8265–6370–87
Letran Knights 67–6383–6281–59 80–77 80–60 59–56 73–69 68–57
Benilde Blazers 78–6868–7479–6865–8463–6771–6283–73
EAC Generals 80–6570–6967–7381–8563–6060–63
JRU Heavy Bombers 75–8256–5953–6764–7056–77
Lyceum Pirates 65–75 76–8471–8369–72
Mapúa Cardinals 68–5465–5995–83
San Beda Red Lions 61–60 78–71
San Sebastian Stags 63–58
Perpetual Altas
Updated to match(es) played on April 29, 2022. Source: GMA Network
Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win.
Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.

Play-in tournament

Play-in gamesFourth seed playoff
Third seed playoff
3San Beda colors.svg  San Beda 63
4CSB colors.svg  Benilde 57
4CSB colors.svg  Benilde 64
Qualifying playoff
5UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual 76
5UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual 59
6Arellano colors.svg  Arellano 52

Third seed playoff

This is between the teams that finished 3rd and 4th after the elimination round; the winner is the #3 seed and advances to the semifinals against the #2 seed, while the loser is relegated to the fourth seed playoff.

GTV
May 1
12:00 p.m.
San Beda Red Lions  San Beda colors.svg6357CSB colors.svg  Benilde Blazers
Scoring by quarter:18–7, 8–13, 14–17, 23–20
Pts: James Kwekuteye 17
Rebs: JB Bahio 10
Asts: Alfaro, Cortez, 4 each
Pts: Robi Nayve 10
Rebs: Will Gozum 11
Asts: Robi Nayve 3
San Beda advances to the semifinals

Qualifying playoff

This is between the teams that finished 5th and 6th after the elimination round; the winner advances to the fourth seed playoff, while the loser is eliminated.

GTV
May 1
3:00 p.m.
Perpetual Altas  UPHD colors.svg5952Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs
Scoring by quarter: 13–14, 12–10, 19–19, 15–9
Pts: Kim Aurin 16
Rebs: Mark Omega 9
Asts: Jielo Razon 6
Pts: Jordan Sta. Ana 12
Rebs: Justin Arana 17
Asts: Maui Cruz 4
Perpetual advances to the fourth seed playoff

Fourth seed playoff

The winner is the #4 seed and advances to the semifinals against the #1 seed.

GTV
May 4
3:00 p.m.
Benilde Blazers  CSB colors.svg6476UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas
Scoring by quarter: 14–21, 18–19, 15–19, 17–17
Pts: JC Cullar 18
Rebs: Will Gozum 13
Asts: Robi Nayve 3
Pts: John Abis 14
Rebs: Jielo Razon 11
Asts: John Abis 5
Perpetual advances to the Final Four

Bracket

Semifinals
(Nos. 1 & 2 have twice-to-beat advantage)
Finals
(Best-of-three series)
1Letran colors.svg  Letran 77
4UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual 75
1Letran colors.svg  Letran 6875
2Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa 6365
2Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa 6770
3San Beda colors.svg  San Beda 73*67

*Game went into overtime

Semifinals

The top 2 seeded teams have the twice-to-beat advantage. In case a team wins all elimination round games, the stepladder format won't be used since the elimination round is shortened to just one round instead of the usual two. [13]

(1) Letran vs. (4) Perpetual

This is the first meeting between Letran and Perpetual in the playoffs. Letran qualified to its third consecutive playoffs, while Perpetual returned to the playoffs after missing out the 2019 tournament.

GTV
May 8
12:00 p.m.
Letran Knights  Letran colors.svg7775UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas
Scoring by quarter:20–17, 16–22, 26–16, 15–20
Pts: Rhenz Abando 24
Rebs: Jeo Ambohot 14
Asts: Reyson, Yu 3 each
Pts: Jielo Razon 21
Rebs: Jielo Razon 11
Asts: Jielo Razon 4
Letran wins series in one game

(2) Mapúa vs. (3) San Beda

This is the first meeting between Mapúa and San Beda in the semifinals since 2008 and fourth overall. Meanwhile, this is Mapúa's first semifinals appearance since 2016 and the first time they have the twice-to-beat advantage. while it will be the first time since 2005 when San Beda does not have the twice-to-beat advantage. [14]

GTV
May 8
3:00 p.m.
Mapúa Cardinals  Mapua colors.svg6773 (OT)San Beda colors.svg  San Beda Red Lions
Scoring by quarter:12–6, 13–19, 16–8, 19–27,  Overtime: 7–13
Pts: Warren Bonifacio 18
Rebs: Warren Bonifacio 13
Asts: Brian Lacap 4
Pts: James Kwekuteye 17
Rebs: JB Bahio 13
Asts: James Kwekuteye 4
GTV
May 11
3:00 p.m.
Mapúa Cardinals  Mapua colors.svg7067San Beda colors.svg  San Beda Red Lions
Scoring by quarter: 9–9, 18–15, 21–25, 22–18
Pts: Gamboa, Lacap 13 each
Rebs: Arvin Gamboa 10
Asts: Nocum, Pido 3 each
Pts: Yukien Andrada 19
Rebs: JB Bahio 15
Asts: James Kwekuteye 4
Mapúa wins series in two games

Finals

The finals is a best-of-three series. This is the first meeting between Letran and Mapúa in the finals during the Final Four era, the first since 1979 where Letran won the title, and is a part of the Battle of Intramuros rivalry, so named after the district of Manila both schools are located at. Letran is in its second consecutive finals appearance, while Mapúa is in its first finals appearance since 1995. [15]

May 15
3:00 p.m.
Letran Knights  Letran colors.svg6863Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa Cardinals
Scoring by quarter: 15–24, 17–15, 17–15, 19–9
Pts: Paraiso, Sangalang 14 each
Rebs: Jeo Ambohot 13
Asts: Paraiso, Yu 5 each
Pts: Bonifacio, Gamboa 10 each
Rebs: Warren Bonifacio 14
Asts: Adrian Nocum 6
May 22
3:00 p.m.
Letran Knights  Letran colors.svg7565Mapua colors.svg  Mapúa Cardinals
Scoring by quarter:19–8, 20–15, 19–25, 17–17
Pts: Rhenz Abando 14
Rebs: Louie Sangalang 13
Asts: Fran Yu 5
Pts: Paolo Hernandez 14
Rebs: Warren Bonifacio 10
Asts: Paolo Hernandez 5
Letran wins series, 2–0
  • Finals Most Valuable Player:Jeo Ambohot (Letran Knights)
  • Coach of the Year: Bonnie Tan  (Letran Knights)

All-Star Game

An all-star game pattered after the NBA All-Star Game was held after the tournament. It included 2 teams, "Team Saints" or the schools named after Catholic saints and figures, and "Team Heroes", for those named after Filipino dignitaries and heroes. Each team has two all-stars from each school, and several male contract stars of Sparkle, GMA's talent agency. [16]

GTV
June 5, 2022
Team Heroes109109Team Saints
  • All-Star Game MVP: Enoch Valdez (Team Heroes)
  • Celebrity MVP: Jose Sarasola (Team Saints)

Awards

  NCAA Season 97 men's basketball champions  
Letran colors.svg
Letran Knights
19th title, second consecutive title

The awards were given prior to Game 2 of the men's Finals. [17]

Statistical leaders

Game player highs

StatisticPlayerTeamTotalOpponent
PointsRalph RobinEAC colors.svg  EAC Generals 27SSC-R colors.svg  San Sebastian Stags
Rebounds Justin Arana Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 29JRU colors.svg  JRU Heavy Bombers
AssistsJL delos SantosJRU colors.svg  JRU Heavy Bombers 9Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs
StealsAxel DoromalArellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 7UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas
BlocksLouie SangalangLetran colors.svg  Letran Knights 5UPHD colors.svg  Perpetual Altas

Season player highs

This were for games played during the elimination round. [18]

StatisticPlayerTeamAverage
PointsJM CalmaSSC-R colors.svg  San Sebastian Stags 16.9
Rebounds Justin Arana Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 17.13
AssistsRenzo NavarroLyceum colors.svg  Lyceum Pirates 4.7
StealsAxel DoromalArellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 2.1
Blocks Justin Arana Arellano colors.svg  Arellano Chiefs 2.9

See also

References

  1. Li, Matthew (March 7, 2022). "Pujante tapped as UAAP 84 commissioner, Cristobal for NCAA 97". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  2. Lozada, Bong (September 17, 2020). "Frankie Lim leaves Altas: 'Sports not priority now in Perpetual'". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  3. "Perpetual names longtime deputy Myk Saguiguit as new coach". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  4. Dalupang, Denison Rey A. (September 12, 2020). "Phoenix lets go of Alas; Robinson takes over for now". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  5. INQUIRER.net (October 6, 2020). "Jeff Perlas named new Lyceum coach with Robinson as consultant". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  6. Li, Matthew (September 11, 2021). "TY Tang migrates to Canada as CSB position now vacant". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  7. "Charles Tiu named new St. Benilde Blazers head coach". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  8. 1 2 Li, Matthew (December 13, 2021). "Jeff Perlas steps down as LPU head coach, Gilbert Malabanan promoted". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  9. Reyes, Marc Anthony (March 20, 2022). "Everything set for NCAA opening". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
  10. "NCAA set to return to FilOil Flying V Centre for San Beda-Letran, playoffs | NCAA Philippines". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  11. "NCAA Season 97 officially kicks off this March 26 on GMA | NCAA Philippines". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  12. "NCAA Season 97 men's basketball team lineups | NCAA Philippines". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  13. "Why there won't be a stepladder semis even if a team sweeps elims this time". Spin.ph. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  14. "Scrappy Letran completes elims sweep, boots rival San Beda to worst finish in 17 years". RAPPLER. April 29, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  15. Micaller, Bea (May 15, 2022). "Letran coach Bonnie Tan says momentum was on Mapua's side in tough Game 1 battle". GMA News. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  16. "Team Heroes, Team Saints battle to 109-all draw in exciting NCAA All-Star Game | NCAA Philippines". www.gmanetwork.com. Retrieved June 5, 2022.
  17. "NCAA: Letran's Abando named rookie-MVP; Arellano's Arana top defender". ABS-CBN News . May 22, 2022.
  18. "Arellano's Arana leads MVP race in NCAA Season 97". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
Preceded by NCAA basketball seasons
Season 97 (2021)
Succeeded by