DESTINY OR DYNASTY?

Game today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

9:30 a.m. — Perpetual vs Letran

It's going to be destiny versus dynasty when University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Letran College collide in Game 3 of their Season 99 National Collegiate Athletic Association juniors basketball tournament best-of-three finals series today at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Game time is set at 9:30 a.m. with the Junior Altas seeking their historic first title in 40 years while the Squires eager to protect their reign in the country's oldest collegiate league.

The title showdown had turned into a see-saw battle with the strongest, the hungriest and the most determined squad tipped to raise the trophy.

The Squires drew the first blood as they booked a convincing 97-80 win, thanks to the explosive performance of Jonathan Manalili, who erupted for 35 points.

Letran was poised to win the title when they erected a 19-point lead in the first half of Game 2, but Perpetual stormed back with Most Valuable Player Amiel Acido knocking down the go-ahead three-pointer in the final 53.8 seconds to pull off a 91-90 victory in Game 2.

JD Pagulayan was the star of the show, finishing with a double-double effort of 23 points and 10 rebounds while Acido and Rookie of the Year Mark Gojo Cruz chipped in 19 and 16 points, respectively, to gain the equalizer and forge a sudden-death duel between two sides that are evenly matched in terms of firepower, defense, and intensity.

Still, Perpetual coach Joph Cleofas knows that their effort in Game 2 will be worthless if they will not go for the kill in the deciding Game 3.

"Letran will be back. They are fighters and they are a champion team. Their coaching staff are all winners," said Cleopas, who is looking to etch his name in the record books as the first coach to lead the Junior Altas to the title since joining the league in 1984.

"For us, it's all heart. I can't say that I know everything since it's my first time as a head coach, but I can assure you that we're giving our best."

Cleopas added that their confidence is sky-high, prompting them to drop 14 three-pointers against a tough-defending Letran squad in Game 2.

"The kids are confident. They just continued to shoot and follow the game plan," Cleopas added.

"The instruction was simple: Create, don't hope and pray harder."

Cleopas said they want to give Acido, Cruz and LeBron Daep something to cherish by winning the school's first NCAA crown before playing in the National Basketball Training Center All-Star Game later in the day.

Meanwhile, Squires head coach Allen Ricardo admitted that they had some lapses in Game 2, especially the crucial blunder of Syrus Silorio at the free throw line in the dying moments that could have wrapped up the series.

But instead of rubbing it in, the interim mentor took the blame and promised to do better in Game 3.

"We had a bit of miscommunication in our plays. We fell short and we weren't able to convert our free throws," said Ricardo, whose team converted 23 out of 33 free throws in Game 2.

"I take the blame for that. I apologize to the Letran community for that."

Ricardo said they have to be aggressive from start to finish if they want to finally clinch their second straight crown.

"We have to be aggressive because we weren't able to sustain our energy. So in Game 3, we have to increase our energy," said Ricardo, who drew 16 points and 13 rebounds from George Diamante and 20 points from Silorio in Game 2.