Right after being crowned the NCAA Season 99 Juniors Basketball Most Valuable Player, Perpetual’s Amiel Acido immediately proved he deserved the award.
From down 19 in game two, Acido, a 6-foot-3 forward from Antipolo, led the Junior Altas’ charge and came up clutch in the fourth with back-to-back huge triples, including the eventual game-winner, to force a winner-take-all rubber match on Saturday.
Acido’s presence throughout the series has been an indicator of Perpetual’s overall output. In the first game, the team captain was limited to just 10 points as the Junior Altas suffered a 17-point beatdown.
However, with the guidance of head coach Joph Cleopas, Acido finally returned to his MVP form and dropped 19 points, 12 of which came from beyond the arc.
“Very masaya ako and grateful ako na nanalo kami ngayong game na ‘to, talagang binuhos lang namin, ‘yung potential ng bawat isa ipinakita nila,” said the 19-year-old graduating senior, right after their nail-biting win.
Additionally, he mentioned how a change in attitude in the third quarter paved the way for their incredible comeback. Acido told his teammates to take their time in chipping away at Letran’s lead, which they eventually toppled late in the fourth quarter.
For Acido, being a captain is a two-way job, it also requires a lot of support from his squad as they feed energy off each other.
“Nung time na po yun, nagpapasalamat din ako sa teammates ko na chineer ako, nabuhayan ako. Mas nag-gel kami so mas naging 100-percent yung chemistry namin, at nagtiwala kami sa isa’t isa.”
Coach Joph Cleopas also admitted the importance of Acido in the team’s overall performance throughout this finals series, not just on the court, but in the locker room.
“Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Pre, sobrang laki ng factor mo rito, every gesture you have, when you slouch, when you frown, big factor yan pre, don’t show them na bagsak-balikat ka, ipakita mo you’re a leader,’ and ginawa niya.”
