Letran, Perpetual Help begin title showdown

DEFENDING champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran and top seed University of Perpetual Help System Dalta begin their best-of-three showdown for the juniors basketball championship of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 99 today, March 16, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

The Squires of coach Allen Ricardo are looking for their second straight crown and 14th overall, a stark contrast to the Junior Altas of coach Joph Cleopas who have reached the finals for the first time and are looking for their maiden championship.

Game time is 9:30 a.m. Letran will rely on Moses Manalili, George Diamante Jr., Jolo Navarro and June Silorio to neutralize Perpetual Help’s firepower of Lebron Daep, Mark Gojo Cruz, Jan Pagulayan and Amiel Acido, the leading candidate for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

Acido leads his team with averages of 17.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and an impressive shooting clip of 40.5 percent (15of-37) from the 3-point range, 64 percent (50-of-78) from the 2-point area and 87 percent (34of-39) from the free throw line.

Gojo Cruz and Daep normed 14.6 points apiece while Pagulayan contributed 13.2 points per game for the Junior Altas.

Manalili, on the other hand, averaged 14.3 points and 6.9 assists per game for Letran.

He gets support from Diamante (12.5 points and 9.3 rebounds), Jolo Navarro (10.4 points and 8 rebounds) and Silorio (10 points and 1.14 steals).

During their elimination round encounter, the Las Piñas-based troop of team owner Dr. Antonio Tamayo defeated the Intramuros boys 94-88.

Before this season, the best finish for the Junior Altas in the tournament was reaching the semifinals in Season 86 under coach Tonichi Pujante, who leaned on players like Gelo Alolino, Axel Iñigo, Mark Bitoy, Flash Sadiwa and Joel Brito.

Perpetual Help joined the league in 1984 and has not won a basketball title — seniors or juniors — since.