One shoots for redemption while the other hunts for a breakthrough as Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Arellano University open their NCAA Season 101 juniors basketball finals on Wednesday.
The Squires, who missed out in the finals last year after winning back-to-back titles the two seasons prior, and the Braves, who haven't captured a basketball title, lock horns in Game 1 set at 11 a.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Squires and the Braves, who both finished the group stages as second-seeded teams in Group B and Group A respectively, are coming off grueling Final Four showdowns with top seeds Emilio Aguinaldo College and Mapua University.
Letran survived the Brigadiers in Game 3 behind Nathan Egea's double-double outing as the Squires went on a fourth-quarter rampage to complete a 77-69 win and oust EAC, which ended the group stage boasting an impressive 10-3 record.
Arellano, meanwhile, had to outlast Mapua in double overtime to pull off a hard-fought 109-107 win in Game 3 and make the finals again after 10 years, earning a shot at its first-ever juniors basketball crown.
Arellano enters the match as the favored side, especially after reigning over Letran in their lone meeting this season behind MVP frontrunner Sean Franco last October 26.
The Braves are also led by two of the tournament’s top scorers in Ray Ladica and Franco, who are averaging 16.94 and 16.71 points per game, respectively.
But as a unit, Letran holds the edge, shooting 40.57% from the field, fueled by efficient scoring from Egea, Justin Cargo, and Mico Pascual, compared to Arellano’s 39.53%.
Letran will certainly lean on that advantage as the Squires aim for redemption after a disappointing Final Four exit last season, when they fell to Benilde-La Salle Green Hills despite holding a twice-to-beat edge.
Standing in their way, however, are the Braves, eager to claim their first-ever basketball title.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
