LETRAN unleashed its full might on Arellano University and hammered out a 106-85 victory on Wednesday that kept its grip of the lead in NCAA Season 99 junior basketball at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.
The back-to-back title-seeking Squires dropped a devastating 37-18 opening quarter salvo and never looked back from there to claim their fifth straight win and sixth overall in seven starts.
Daniel Padilla and Jolo Navarro presided over the carnage with the former firing a game-best 28 points and the latter coming through with a massive double-double effort with 19 points and 23 rebounds.
It was the dynamic duo that lit that decisive first quarter onslaught and sent the Braves down on their knees and to their sixth defeat against a win.
San Sebastian, for its part, turned back College of St. Benilde, 76-67, to keep the Stags perched inside the magic four with a 5-3 record and within striking distance for a shot at a place in the top two.
Rion Porcadas sizzled with 22 points including five triples, while Jhun Penaverde and Ruvic Danag chipped in 19 and 12 points, respectively.
It was Porcadas who delivered the coup de grace as he uncorked a 10-point barrage in a fourth quarter run that turned a slim lead to the win.
The Junior Blazers sputtered to 2-5.
Games Friday (Filoil EcoOil Arena)
8 a.m.- JRU vs San Beda
10 a.m.- Letran vs UPHSD
12 noon – AU vs EAC
2:30 p.m.- Mapua vs SSC-R
4:30 p.m.- CSB vs LPU