Given second chance, Balanza pours it all for Letran

MANILA, Philippines – A year ago, everybody thought Jerrick Balanza had played his last basketball game when he went under the knife to remove a tumor in the brain. But as soon as he recovered from it and returned to game he loves most, Balanza made sure to give it his all as if it’s his last.

Showing renewed vigor less than a year since his return, Balanza came through with another clutch game as he powered Letran to an 88-64 rout of St. Benilde Friday and into a share of second place in the 95th NCAA basketball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Balanza, the team skipper, exploded with 26 points, including four booming triples to lead the Knights to their sixth victory against three losses. This clinched them a share of No. 2 with the Blazers and the Lyceum University of the Philippines Pirates.

It was made more special that the strong effort came on Balanza’s 23rd birthday.

“I’m just happy to be given another chance to do what I love most, which is play basketball,” said Balanza, the league’s second leading scorer with a career-high average of 16.9 points a game including a 31-point explosion early in the season.

The Knights drew strength from a strong start that they sustained to go into the break with a 46-35 upper hand with Balanza doing most of the damage.

The Muralla-based dribblers made it a 73-49 lead at the end of third canto and was never threatened from there. The fourth quarter was ghastly sight for CSB as it trailed by as much as 30 points, 52-82.

The effort of Balanza impressed his coach.

“He’s playing like it’s his birthday the whole season because he’s really playing big for us the whole of the first round,” said Letran mentor Bonnie Tan referring to Balanza.

The scores:

First Game

Letran 88 — Balanza 26, Batiller 10, Olivario 7, Muyang 7, Caralipio 6, Yu 6, Ular 6, Balagasay 6, Ambohot 5, Reyson 5, Mina 2, Sangalang 2, Javillonar 0, Guarino 0.

St. Benilde 64 — Belgica 12, Haruna 8, Naboa 7, Flores 7, Carlos 7, Nayve 6, Sangco 5, Lepalam 5, Gutang 3, Young 3, Leutcheu 1, Dixon 1, Velasco 0, Mosqueda 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15; 46-35; 73-49; 88-64