Junio keys Knights’ win anew

Rookie Ismael Junio once again provided the spark for Letran as it turned back hard-fighting Perpetual Help, 81-72, yesterday and roared to its third straight victory after an opening-day setback in the 77th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Junio, 21, a high-flying 5-footer from Bayambang, Pangasinan, delivered 23 points built on five triples, including four in the second quarter, and a couple of breathtaking moves to the basket as he perfectly combined with veteran Harold Sta. Cruz, who led the Knights with 24 points.

The 21-year-old Junio now has an average of 23.75 points in four games. He had 13 in Letran’s painful loss to defending champion St. Benilde, waxed hot with 30 in the team’s victory over PCU (1-2) and tossed in 29 in another win against San Beda (1-2) last Thursday.

"He’s just a walk-in during our off-season training and when he came in, he’s the kind of player you wouldn’t look at . . . maliit at larong kalye. But in practice, he easily proved his worth to the team and now he’s been a big bonus for us," said Letran coach Binky Favis.

The victory was doubly sweet for Favis since it was the first time that Letran beat Perpetual (1-3) since he took over Louie Alas as coach in 1999, the year the Knights won a second straight crown.

St. Benilde, stunned by Philippine Christian University last Thursday, remained in the dark, this time absorbing a 66-60 loss to Mapua as the Blazers played without head coach Dong Vergeire who was slapped a three-game suspension for his misconduct during his team’s overtime victory over San Beda last week.