In a game that felt like a championship clash, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA showed how it's done.
The defending champions Junior ALTAs pulled off a 74-69 overtime victory against the twice-to-beat Colegio de San Juan de Letran Squires in the NCAA Season 101 juniors basketball quarterfinals on Wednesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Perpetual dug deep to force a do-or-die match on Saturday as it kept its title repeat bid alive.
Don Rosales came up big with 18 points together with four rebounds and one block while Jim Corpuz and Ezekiel Zamoras each chipped in 10 markers each to rally the Junior ALTAs from 11 points down in the second quarter.
"Every game should be a championship. Talo na kami dito e, pero kung nakita niyo puro prayers na lang kami doon sa court," Perpetual head coach Joph Cleopas.
"Kay God talaga 'to. 'Yung mga bata talagang lumaban."
Rosales hit a huge long three-pointer in the extra period to bring Perpetual to a crucial 64-60 lead, but the Squires responded with a 6-2 swing to tie things up at 66-all.
Perpetual, which captured its breakthrough title just last April, created another 70-66 separation when Zamoras hit a basket and Rosales sank a pair of free throws.
Letran trimmed the gap to just one when Justin Cargo completed a three-point play in the final 1:06. But Perpetual unleashed a relentless defense as Corpuz and Rosales punctuated the victory from the charity stripe.
Nathan Egea paced Letran with 12 points, seven rebounds, and two assists while Harvey Macadangdang and Cargo chipped in 12 and 10 markers each.
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—JMB, GMA Integrated News
