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The Perpetual Junior Altas

Romwel Anzures

ABS-CBN News

<div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1711002827620FullSizeRender.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Perpetual Junior Altas star and NCAA Season 99 Juniors‘ MVP Amiel Acido. <strong><em></em></strong><em></em><em>Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News</em><em></em><strong><em>.</em></strong></span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">MANILA — The Perpetual Junior Altas are a win away from history.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Las Piñas-based squad has the chance to clinch its first NCAA juniors’ basketball title on Saturday as they face the Letran Squires in Game 3 of the Season 99 Finals after they defeated the Muralla boys in Game 2 of the Season 99 Finals on Wednesday.</span></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/ncaa-perpetual-survives-letran-as-junior-altas-force-game-3-1747"><strong>READ: </strong></a><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(29, 29, 29);color:rgb(29, 29, 29)"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/ncaa-perpetual-survives-letran-as-junior-altas-force-game-3-1747"><strong>Perpetual survives Letran as Junior Altas force Game 3</strong></a></span><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(29, 29, 29);color:rgb(29, 29, 29)"><strong><em></em></strong></span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The only problem is, Letran is also a win away from clinching the title and getting a back-to-back championship</span></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/letran-must-rediscover-aggressiveness-toughness-in-game-3-coach-039"><strong>READ: </strong></a><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(29, 29, 29);color:rgb(29, 29, 29)"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/letran-must-rediscover-aggressiveness-toughness-in-game-3-coach-039"><strong>Letran must rediscover aggressiveness, toughness in Game 3: coach</strong></a></span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Good thing for Perpetual, their head coach is not turning a blind eye on them and is aware of their situation as they head into the decider.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“I expect that it will not be very easy because they are a champion team,” said Junior Altas mentor and first-year head tactician Joph Cleopas following their win over CSJL at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Their coaching staff are winners,” he added. </span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cleopas is a former assistant coach and a trainer during his time with the San Beda Red Lions, the UST men’s and women’s basketball team, and the Converge FiberXers, but this is his first time handling a head coaching position.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Yung sa’min, puro puso na lang yun eh. ’Di ko nga masabi na marunong ba kami ng coaching kasi this is my first eh. We’re just giving our best.”</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">However, Cleopas is no pushover. </span></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eXseqYnyb4U?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In just his first year at the helm, he has already led his team to a historic feat. This is the juniors’ team’s first finals appearance, the first time that they clinched the No. 1 seed after the eliminations, and the first time that they have produced a season MVP which came in Amiel Acido.</span></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/perpetual-s-amiel-acido-named-ncaa-juniors-mvp-1424"><strong>READ: </strong></a><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(29, 29, 29);color:rgb(29, 29, 29)"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/perpetual-s-amiel-acido-named-ncaa-juniors-mvp-1424"><strong>Perpetual’s Amiel Acido named NCAA Juniors’ MVP</strong></a></span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Still, he is deflecting all the credit to his squad. </span></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/perpetual-showed-never-say-die-spirit-in-game-2-thompson-1832"><strong>READ</strong></a><span id="isPasted" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;caret-color:rgb(29, 29, 29);color:rgb(29, 29, 29)"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/3/20/perpetual-showed-never-say-die-spirit-in-game-2-thompson-1832"><strong>: Perpetual showed ‘never say die’ spirit in Game 2, says Scottie Thompson</strong></a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">UPHSD hit 14 three-pointers during their comeback win against the Squires and was also able to limit Letran court general Titing Manalili to a solitary point in the second half, and this, according to Cleopas, was all due to the eagerness of his players.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-tap-highlight-color:rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.3);-webkit-text-size-adjust:auto;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Confident yung mga bata eh. Tumira lang sila, and they followed the execution,” he explained as he talked about their hot three-point shooting. </span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Hindi ko rin naman sinabi sa players na [i-stop] si Manalili, pero sinabi ng players na ‘Coach, akin yan.’  Tinrabaho nila, ni-limit, and blessed kami na ganon,” he added.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As they head into Saturday’s Game 3 — another first for Perpetual — he has this to say to his players:</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Create, don’t [just] hope, pray harder. “</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Cleopas understands what they are to expect against the defending champions, and he also understands the capabilities of his players, which is why the only thing left for Perpetual is to bet it all on their faith.</span></div><div><span style="vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“This Saturday, we know na ilalabas na lahat ng Letran, and ang masasabi ko lang is, God willing, ibibigay namin lahat. If [hindi manalo], then Glory to God pa ‘rin.”</span></div>

<p>The Perpetual Junior Altas are a win away from history.</p>

The Perpetual Junior Altas are a win away from history.

NCAA: Closing out against Letran ‘will not be very easy,’ says Perpetual coach

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NCAA: Closing out against Letran ‘will not be very easy,’ says Perpetual coach

Romwel Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 21, 2024 03:07 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

NCAA

NCAA Season 99

NCAA Basketball

ABSSports

Letran Squires

Perpetual Altas

Joph Cleopas

Scottie Thompson

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