Letran College prevailed over University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 77-73, to take Game 1 of Season 101 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Monday.

Jonathan Manalili and Jimboy Estrada led the Knights with 15 points each as they are a win away from returning to the finals after a three-year wait. 

Game 2 will be on Friday at 12 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We told the boys not to relax because we expected them to come back in the second half and that’s what happened. Our big men even got foul trouble so we got small and had trouble sustaining our defense,” head coach Allen Ricardo said.

Leading 75-71 with 13 seconds left in the game, Estrada calmly sank two free throws to keep the game out of reach. 

Chad Gammad had 11 points for Letran while Deo Cuajao had six points as they took a 1-0 lead in this best-of-three series. 

Patrick Sleat had 21 points for the Altas in a losing effort as they are on the verge of getting eliminated.