LAST year’s runner-up, the Perpetual Junior Altas begin their quest for a first title as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100 Juniors’ Basketball Tournament unwraps on February 18, 2025.
Head coach Joph Cleopas will lean on his holdovers from last year’s squad, twin towers Lebron Jhames Daep and Aries Borja, along with Kelsey Baldoria, Icee Callangan, JD Pagulayan, Jericho Cristino, Jan Roluna, TJ Tabbuan and Lance Nitura.
Six rookies, Kurt Velasquez and Louie Rosales from the Batang Gilas, Felix Corpuz and Hanz Llupar from Cebu, Kurt Patalinghug from Lapu Lapu City and Renzo Zanoria from Cebu City, are also expected to show their skills.
The Las Piñas City-based school will carry its pre-season achievements and titles that served as tests and the school’s preparations heading into the league.
The Junior Altas captured the NGBL Championship against the NU Bullpups in a winner-take-all finals, 96-93, before the Antonio Tamayo-owned squad defeated the Mapua Red Robins with a score of 86-59, a week later in the Under Armour Invitational Championship.
They also took home the Junior MPBL crown in the Under 18 Division by defeating Rizal Province (Arellano Braves) in the National Finals, 88-84.
“The three titles we got during the off-season, the NGBL, the Under Armor Invitational Championship and Junior MPBL are just batteries of our team, to correct our mistakes whether it’s losing or winning,” Cleopas said.
“In every game, we learned. The wins proved to be a test of our character. I told them, ‘don’t be overwhelmed by our victories, be happy but don’t give your full emotions here, remember we are doing this for the main tournament, the NCAA. Don’t lose your hunger in each game, focus on the goal and stay hungry’,” Cleopas said.
He added during their practice at the Home of the Altas gym in Pamplona III, to be always ready, physically and mentally, “to keep our system fluid, for the bigger task.”
Daep, Borja, Roluna, Pagulayan, Callangan, Baldoria, Nitura, Cristino along with graduates, Season 99 MVP Amiel Acido and Rookie of the Year Mark Gojo Cruz were instrumental in getting the team’s first finals appearance since it joined the tournament in 1985.