LAS PIÑAS CITY — After making history by claiming its first juniors basketball championship in the National Collegiate Athletic Association last April, Univeristy of Perpetual Help is now gearing up to defend the crown as Season 101 opens on Oct. 1, 2025 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Junior Altas head coach Joph Cleopas and his coaching staff are leaving no stones unturned in training.
“We need to win every practice and game, I believe in the kids, they give their best every day and every game, I cannot promise that the result will come,” Cleopas said in an interview during their practice at the Home of the Altas gym in Barangay Pamplona 3 here.
Cleopas said they need to play harder and better this season because the other teams aim to pull them down.
“During the off-season games and tournaments, we cannot say that was our strength, that was only the barometer of the team and here you can see the shortcomings and do the necessary adjustments,” the coach said.
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“We will take one game at the time, adjust to what we can adjust, study the opponents and do the things that are capable on your team and players, All the teams are watching Junior altas including San Beda, La Salle Greenhills. Letran Squires, Mapua.
The University of Perpetual Help juniors basketball team PHOTO BY DENNIS ABRINA Advertisement
Perpetual Help will only have seven holdovers from the champion team. They are Louie Rosales, Kurt Velasquez, Lance Nitura, Jim Corpuz, Keanne Zanoria, Ezekiel Zamoras, Hanz Candido and Kurt Patalinghug.
Lebron Jhames Daep, the Season and Finals Most Valuable Player, is no longer with the team as he moved to De La Salle University as a senior in the UAAP.
Cleopas, however, said he can also depend the new recruits to step up their game when called upon.
Because of the new schedule, the Junior Altas only have five months of preparation before they begin their title defense.
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“Ang bilis kasi ng season this year for Juniors, dahil ibinalik na yung previous format na juniors-seniors game format, not like the previous seasons na nasa second semester ang juniors basketball, kaya mahaba ang preparation, may one year build up period.” Cleopas added.
This season, the group format will be implemented with Perpetual Help, Mapua, Lyceum, San Sebastian and Arellano University assigned in Group A while Letran, San Beda, La Salle Greenhills (St. Benilde), Emilio Aaguinaldo College and Jose Rizal University bracketed in Group B.
The Junior Altas will open their season against the San Sebastian Staglets on Oct. 3 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
