Last year's finalists Colegio de San Juan de Letran and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA rediscovered their winning ways on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 100 juniors basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Squires, however, needed to do it in overtime as the reigning back-to-back champions escaped La Salle Green Hills in a thrilling 86-80 victory behind the tandem of Daniel Padilla and Jhuniel Dela Rama.
Padilla top-scored with 26 points together with three rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block while Dela Rama backstopped the veteran with huge double-double of 18 markers and 16 boards laced with four dimes, two blocks, and one steal.
The Greenies crawled back from a 70-62 deficit late in the fourth period with Guillian Quines nailing six straight points before a Jacob Hizon triple saw them taking a 71-70 lead with 34.4 seconds left.
Padilla then drew a foul against Ram Sharma from the three-point area, but would only sink one of the three freebies that was enough to force an overtime.
Syrex Silorio, who was misfiring all throughout the regulation, came alive in OT by burying a triple and completing a putback basket that gave Letran an 80-74 cushion.
Both teams had to earn their points from the stripe in the next plays, but Dela Rama's hustle down the stretch allowed the three-peat seeking Squires to run away with the victory.
Perpetual likewise recovered from its previous loss to San Beda University, pulling away late to eke out. 92-80 victory against Arellano University.
Plenty of heroes rose to the occasion for the Junior ALTAs led by the 19 points of Dan Rosales as Jan Roluna continued to shine with a near double-double outing of 18 markers and nine rebounds.
Veterans JD Pagulayan and Lebron Jhames Daep chipped in 17 and 14 markers apiece to help the Las Piñas crew improve to 3-1, tying San Beda University and Emilio Aguinaldo College at the top spot.
In another game, Emilio Aguinaldo College extended its winning streak to three after surviving a gallant Jose Rizal University side, 57-55, behind the tandem of EJ Castillo and Ian Cuajao.
Castillo and Cuajao both finished with 15 points with the latter grabbing nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals as the Brigadiers improved to 3-1 while the Braves fell to a 2-2 slate.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
