By: Jerod Orcullo
With the back-to-back Championship in NCAA Junior's Basketball secured, the Letran Squires pose for their pictorial together with the trophy
It's not about how hard you fall but how high you bounce back that counts.
Colegio de San Juan de Letran Squires defended their crown against the UPHSD Junior Altas, 93-76, in game three of the NCAA Season 99 Juniors' Basketball Finals at the Filoil EcoOil Centre earlier today.
Moses Manalili was awarded Finals MVP with averages of 22 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals while Coach Allen Ricardo took home the Coach of the Year award, spearheading the Intramuros-based squad enroute to the championship.
June Silorio had a massive bounce back performance in the contest with a game-high 27 markers, six dimes, and five boards on an efficient 57.1 percent from the field, followed by Daniel Padilla with 17 points and George Diamante, who had a near double-double performance of nine points and 11 rebounds.
Perpetual looked eager to trim the deficit with less than three minutes left in the deciding quarter with Amiel Acido and Jan Pagulayan dropped clutch baskets, but Silorio cashed in basket after basket nullifying any efforts from the Altas, 93-76.
The first two seeds of the NCAA Season 99 Elimination round were primed for a showdown firing on all cylinders, but the defensive prowess of Letran forced turnovers translating into transition points and a cushion headed to the dugouts, 49-38.
Animosity could be felt on and off the court as teams received technicals while fans shouted their hearts out with team chants through the second half.
The defending champions expanded their advantage to as big 19 with Padilla and Silorio finding ways to punch a hole in Perpetual's defense ensuring that the NCAA Juniors' Basketball title stays in the house along the street of Muralla.
Icee Callangan, Pagulayan, and Acido all dropped 16 points apiece as the Junior Altas came short on winning their first Junior's Championship in over 41 years.
Quarter Scores: 24-18, 49-38, 69-58, 93-76
LETRAN (93) -- Silorio 27, Manalili 19, Padilla 17, Diamante 9, Baliling 7, Navarro 5, Hugo 5, Cruz 3, Villanueva 1, Gazzingan 0, Alforque 0
PERPETUAL (76) -- Callangan 16, Pagulayan 16, Acido 16, Cruz 9, Roluna 5, Daep 4, Borja 3, Asuncion 3, Valencia 2, Diaz 2, Salvo 0, Baldoria 0