By MARK REY MONTEJO
University of Perpetual Help bucked a slow start to beat defending champion Letrán, 91-90, and force a do-or-die Game 3 in the NCAA Season 99 juniors basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Wednesday, March 20.
Amiel Acido proved he deserved the MVP plum after helping rally the Junior Altas in the second half highlighted by his fourth triple of the game with 53.8 seconds remaining to escape with the win.
He scattered 14 of his 19 points in the second half alone to force a winner-take-all.
Jan Pagulayan also shone for Junior Altas, scattering 23 points, most of them in the team’s searing comeback in the third.
Their heroics reduced the Squires to tears as the Intramuros-based squad came into the game ready for its 14th coronation as the prince of hoops.
It was a huge disappointment for the Squires who had their chances to seal the best-of-three title series but they practically shot themselves in the foot.
That’s because Alex Gazzingan and June Silorio missed three consecutive free throws in the waning seconds to the delight of a huge Perpetual supporters.
The deciding Game 3 will be on Saturday also at the same venue.
The Squires, drawing big games from Titing Manalili and Silorio, took Game 1, 97-80.
Though Manalili was shooting bricks, the Squires got off to a roaring start, leading as many as 19 points before the Junior Altas pressed their attack and succeeded in trimming the deficit at the break, 59-50.
The scores:
UPHSD 91– Pagulayan 23, Acido 19, Gojo Cruz 16, Daep 13, Diaz 5, Borja 5, Valencia 3, Callangan 3, Baldoria 2, Roluna 2, Ayon 0, Asuncion 0.
Letran 90– Silorio 20, Diamante 18, Padilla 17, Manalili 12, Baliling 11, Gazzingan 5, Navarro 3, Cruz 2, Golez 2, Villanueva 0, Reyes 0, Hugo 0.
Quarters: 28-34; 50-59; 73-75; 91-90.
