At A Glance
- Letran and Perpetual headline the opening salvo of the NCAA Season 100 juniors basketball tournament on Feb. 24 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Letran and Perpetual headline the opening salvo of the NCAA Season 100 juniors basketball tournament on Feb. 24 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Seeking a rare three-peat without their star Titing Manalili, the Squires begin their title defense against the Lyceum Junior Pirates at 8 a.m., while the Junior Altas battle the Mapua-Malayan Red Robins at 10 a.m.
For the afternoon games, the Arellano Braves tangle with the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers at 12 noon while the San Beda Red Cubs and the EAC Brigadiers square off at 4 p.m.
With the departure of Season 99 Finals MVP Manalili and the appointment of Allen Ricardo to the senior team, Letran will lean on Koronadal City pride Syrex Silorio and a slew of talented dribblers in their title-retention bid.
Joph Cleopas, a Cebuano native, will call the shots for Perpetual which is eyeing its first juniors title in the grand old league since joining in 1985.
The Junior Altas will be spearheaded by Lebron Jhames Daep, Jan Roluna, Aries Borja, Kelsey Baldoria, Icee Callangan, JD Pagulayan, Jericho Cristino, TJ Tabbuan and Lance Nitura
Aside from its mainstays, Perpetual has Batang Gilas standouts Kurt Velasquez and Louie Rosales along with Cebuanos Kurt Patalinghug and Renzo Zanoria.
“We are focused and determined to win, one game at a time,” said Cleopas.