Junior Altas, Squires eye NCAA finals

UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta (UPHSD) seeks to keep its fairy tale run going as it clashes with elimination round tormentor Mapua even as Letran aims to keep its back-to-back title bid alive as it tackles San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) in the NCAA Season 99 junior basketball Final Four on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

Owning a twice-to-beat advantage, the Junior Altas and the Squires will need just a win over the Red Robins at 12 p.m. and the Staglets at 2:30 p.m., respectively, to forge a best-of-three title showdown unfurling Saturday.

A deciding game, if necessary, is set Wednesday.

UPHSD defied overwhelming odds by topping the single-round elimination with an 8-1 record and finishing ahead of the Squires, the defending champions who wound up the No. 2 seed with a 7-2 mark.

Interestingly, the Las Piñasbased dribblers’ only setback came at the hands of the Red Robins in a 72-71 cliffhanger last February 25.

SSC-R and Mapua both finished tied with 6-3 slates, but the former clinched the No. 3 seed following its 90-84 win over the latter last March 1.

UPHSD is eyeing nothing less than snaring its first-ever high school championship while Letran its 14th overall.

For Mapua, it is hoping to stretch its series to another game for a crack at a 21st crown, which would put it closer to San Beda’s league best 23 juniors titles.

SSC-R, for its part, is looking at a chance at Championship No. 6.

Amiel Acido, one of the favorites to claim the coveted Most Valuable Player award this year, should be the focal point of UPHSD’s high-octane offense after averaging a league fifth-best 17.67 points and a third-best 10 rebounds a game.