By: Jerod Orcullo
Lebron Jhames Daep has been nothing short of spectacular this season, powering the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA to the top of the UAAP Season 100 Juniors Basketball Tournament standings.
With his dominant presence in the paint and clutch performances, Daep has led the Junior Altas to a 5-1 record, firmly placing them in the hunt for the championship.
Despite their impressive run, the Final Four picture remains unclear as teams continue to battle fiercely on the hardcourt.
Perpetual’s lone defeat came in a nail-biting 80-83 loss to San Beda-Rizal on March 2 at the EAC Sports and Cultural Center in Manila.
Since then, the Junior Altas have bounced back with a vengeance, riding a three-game winning streak, highlighted by a commanding 32-point victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University, 71-39, last Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Daep has been the driving force behind Perpetual’s success, leading his team in scoring, rebounding, and shot-blocking with averages of 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.17 blocks per game.
Despite their strong form, the 18-year-old Daep admitted his team still has a lot of work to do before they can claim the Juniors title.
“Kulang pa kami and kailangan pa namin mas diinan sa training kasi ‘di namin inexpect na pinaghandaan kami ng kalaban. And shoutout sa JRU, lumaban sila hanggang dulo. Kaya parang grabe yung respeto namin sa kanila,” Daep shared after their 85-78 win against Jose Rizal University on Wednesday.
Perpetual nearly let the game slip away after being outscored 15-23 by the Light Bombers in the final quarter.
Were it not for Icee Callangan’s clutch heroics in the final two minutes, the Junior Altas could have found themselves in a three-way tie for second place alongside Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and Malayan High School, who all hold identical 4-2 records.
Daep emphasized that maturity is one of the key aspects the Junior Altas need to improve as they push for the title. However, he remains confident that their strong bond as a team will help them overcome these challenges.
“Kulang samin is maturity, yun yung kulang ng team samin. Pero, all in all, maganda yung team namin dahil yung relationship namin sa isa’t isa, yung brotherhood namin. Pero yun lang masasabi ko — kulang sa’min yung maturity, which is tratrabahuhin namin,” he added.
Currently, Perpetual boasts the league’s best offense, averaging 84.33 points per game. With their potent scoring ability and steady momentum, they are strong contenders not just for a Final Four berth but for the championship itself.
Still, Daep remained grounded, admitting his confidence in his team’s title chances is only at 40-percent, believing they must continue working hard to boost their odds.
“Nanggagaling yung confidence simula sa training — pag sineseryoso niyo yung training and sa pagre-ready, pagpre-prepare namin sa season na ‘to, dun nanggagaling yung kumpiyansa,” Daep concluded.
“Siguro, ‘di ko masasabi na nandun na kami. Pero ang masasabi ko lang is ibibigay namin yung best namin, at matatapos ‘tong season na ‘to na wala kaming regret kasi ibinigay namin yung best namin.”
