FOR the first time, the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta finished the elimination round of the NCAA juniors basketball tournament as the number one seed, ending a 14-year slump of missing the semifinal round.
In a closely fought battle on top, the Junior Altas needed to beat the San Sebastian Staglets 111-80 on the final playing day of the elims on Sunday, March 3, to tally an 8-1 record and claim the number one spot going into final four.
That loss dropped San Sebastian to third seed with a 6-3 record.
Defending champion Letran, meanwhile, is number two with a 7-2 record and Malayan School (Mapua) Red Robins is number four with a 6-3 mark.
In the semifinal round on Sunday, March 10, the Junior Altas will take on the Red Robins at 12 noon while the Squires and the Staglets collide at 2:30 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan City.
Perpetual Help and Letran will have the twice-to-beat advantage in the final four by virtue of finishing first and second in the elims.
Junior Altas coach Joph Cleopas hopes to bring his team to the NCAA finals for the first time in league history. Perpetual Help entered the league in 1984 and has not made it past the semifinal round in juniors basketball since.
Against the Red Robins, Cleopas will lean on JD Pagulayan, Mark Gojo Cruz, Lebron Daep Regie Ayon, Icee Callangan, Jamal Diaz and Amiel Acido, the leading contender for this season's Most Valuable Player award.
"As preparation, we returned to our fundamentals. We have to stay grounded but give our 100 percent inside the court," Cleopas said.
"We just went back to how we started. Basically we went back to improve our skills, shooting and especially defense. I believe that we can win this game."
Red Robins head coach Yong Garcia, on the other hand, will rely on Lawrence Mangubat, Sean Salvador, Jonalance Masiglat, Nico Mulingtapang and Aki Valina in trying to score a repeat victory over the Junior Altas on Sunday.
On February 25, Perpetual Help bowed to Mapua 72-71 for its only setback in the elimination round.
This time, Cleopas said, they will not make the same mistake against the Red Robins.