Junior Altas finally hit zenith of glory

MANILA, Philippines — It felt like an eternity for University of Perpetual Help waiting for that breakthrough NCAA high school basketball championship.

So when the time came, the Junior Altas gobbled up the opportunity and destroyed the La Salle Greenies, 101-67, to rule NCAA Season 100 yesterday at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

“Overwhelming,” said an emotional UPHSD coach Joph Cleopas, a devout Christian. “It’s a blessing for us, we fought hard and this is the best game that I saw my team play. It was an exclamation point, a statement win.”

With the short series knotted at one game apiece entering the decider, the Las Piñas-based dribblers didn’t leave anything to chance and buried their foes right from the start to claim a 2-1 series win and their first ever basketball crown since joining the grand old league 41 years ago.

It also happened a year after practically the same team came a victory away from ending the long wait before it was painfully denied by eventual winner Letran.

They didn’t let history repeat itself.

Lebron Jhames Daep lived up to his name and led his team to the momentous day to complete basketball’s trifecta by winning the title, the season MVP and the Finals MVP.

“I just want to thank our Perpetual Help community for their support,” said the shy prized find from Bicol, who had 10 points, 12 rebounds, two assists and the same number of steals and blocks in Game 3.

But it wasn’t without a bunch of heroes, among them Jan Roluna, Icee Callagan, Jim Corpuz and Jan Rosales, who scored 15, 14, 13 and 12 points, respectively.

None though shone brighter than Daep, whose father Rommel was a former pro.