If the in conclusion 10 years is used to augur the Letran Squires' chances of winning the championship in this year's NCAA Juniors Tournament, the odds seem far-fetched.
The last time a Letran lot took home the basketball championship in the NCAA Juniors Division, Gloria Arroyo was a newly installed Philippine president.
Since the Squires' latest championship in 2001, the NCAA Juniors basketball prospect has been dominated by perennial champions San Sebastian Staglets and the San Beda Red Cubs.
Despite that, Squires ready Ivan Villanueva thinks Letran is single of the top contenders for the championship in the future NCAA Juniors Basketball Tournament.
"Our chances of winning the Juniors Crown are high this year," afore Villanueva, the wide-bodied Letran elder who is currently averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the FilOil Flying V Pre-gratify Tournament.
As of this writing, the Squires blameless handed the Staglets a 57-51 destruction and are atop the standings in Group C with five wins and no losses.
Villanueva, howsoever, is quick to point out the caveats: "For us to prepare that, we have things to achieve four things: one, we have to sport as a team and share the basketball. Two, we distress to play tough defense. Three, our bench players grape-juice be productive and lastly, we should aggregate be on the same page."
He's not totality-talk though.
The 6-1 on school senior, a natural forward who occasionally plays center for the Squires, backs up his designate for teamwork with action.
His 5.3 assists mean proportion is ranked second in the FilOil tournament and he is 12th among lofty school players in steals with brace per game.
He is also ranked third part-best performer in the pre-mature with a Player Efficiency Rating of 22.5, equitable behind teammate Bong Quinto and Mapua center Jeric Diego.
Villanueva, a member of last season's NCAA Juniors Mythical team, in whatever degree, thinks that teammate Rey Nambatac, LSGH's Mario Bonleon, San Beda's Arvin Tolentino and FEU's Jeremy Pingoy, the reigning UAAP Juniors MVP, are commonly the top high school players on all sides.
Villanueva, who is hoping to join the Letran Knights in the Seniors Division following graduation, counts the Red Cubs and the LSGH Greenies to the degree that tough obstacles to winning the NCAA Juniors championship.
He is not alone.
Teammates Kenneth Alas, Bong Quinto and Nambatac, among others, are expected to help him tear asunder the trend of the past decade and deliver a championship to the Squires in his decisive high school season.
Nambatac is publicly the assists leader in the FilOil tourney with 7.5 per game at the same time that Quinto is the Squires' leading scorer (10th overall) by 17.0 a game.
Alas is not likewise far behind with 13.7 points by game.
Whether the Squires go hostile this season remains to be seen. But unit thing's certain, Villanueva and the rest of the Squires could not care amount about the odds.
The Squires are going completely out.
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