Hard work has paid off for King Caralipio.
And his effort has drawn praise from his coach Bonnie Tan after the Knights captured their third straight title in the 98th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.
After the Knights came off with an 81-67 Game 3 triumph over the College of Saint Benilde Blazers at the Ynares center in Antipolo, Tan said Carilipio’s performance has gone a long way since the days that he played with limited time in the past.
“King’s (playing) time was limited from the start. Pero nagtiyaga ito. Alam namin kung ano ang binibigay nito sa loob is because of his hard work,” said Tan.
Caralipio finished with 20 points on 70% field-goal shooting in Game 3, to go with 10 rebounds and two assists.
And this gave Carilipio an average of 18.0 points per game on 67% on field goals, five rebounds and two assists.
Tan said the team almost lost its composure in the second quarter, when the Blazers stayed close.
But when the Knights focused on their defense, everything shifted in their favor.
In the end, Letran ended with a 50% field goal percentage, a showing which tied their best shooting game of the season.
They went on to outscore CSB, 44-20, in the paint, with the Blazers’ 20 points in the paint considered as a season low.
Carilipio dedicated his performance to teammate Fran Yu, who was suspended in Game 3.
With Yu out, Brent Paraiso stepped up, contributing 16 points, three boards, two blocks, and one steal.