MANILA – The Perpetual Help Junior Altas achieved what their senior team failed to do, as they stunned the San Beda Red Cubs, 72-69, on Sunday to open their campaign in the NCAA Season 94 juniors basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Mark Gallano and Edzel Galoy sparked the Junior Altas, scoring 16 points each while making the game-winning plays in crunch time.

It was Gallano who assisted on Galoy's go-ahead bucket to break a 69-all deadlock with seconds to go, giving them the lead for good.

A split at the line by Yukihiro Kawamura, after the Cubs bungled their last play, iced the win for Perpetual Help.

"The boys showed heart," said Perpetual Help coach Michael Saguiguit.

It was Perpetual Help's first win over San Beda in recent memory, with legendary coach Ato Badolato admitting that he cannot remember the last time the Red Cubs lost to the Junior Altas.

"I can't remember anymore. Maybe in the early '90s," said Badolato, who coached the Red Cubs for decades before retiring then taking over as their athletic director a few years ago.

With the result, the Junior Altas gained a measure of redemption for their senior team's heartbreaking 67-65 loss to the Red Lions on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Incidentally, Frankie Lim, who now coaches the Altas, is a consultant of Saguiguit.

In the other game, San Sebastian edged Lyceum of the Philippines, 69-68, to earn a share of the lead with the Junior Altas.

The scores:

First Game (jrs)

Perpetual Help 72- Gallano 16, Galoy 16, Kawamura 15, Orgo 11, Barcuma 6, Duka 3, Nunez 3, Coloma 2, Defante 0, dela Cruz 0, Lauchengco 0, Romilla 0

San Beda 69- Estacio 20, Alcantara 12, Pelipel 9, Coyoca 7, Sanchez 7, Ynot 5, Talampas 5, Valencia 4, Compolente 0, Llarena 0, Oliva 0

Quarterscores: 21-18; 34-33; 59-48; 72-69

Second Game (jrs)

SSC 69- Janao 22, Balo 12, Baclaan 10, Perez 8, dela Cruz 8, Are 4, Timbancaya 3, Solatorio 2, Bonalos 0, Cortes 0, Suico 0, Austria 0

LPU 68- Barba 27, de Leon 14, Jugar 11, Gudmalin 7, Tulabut 4, de Guia 3, Omandac 2, Caringal 0, Dejelo 0, Nocal 0, Pagdanganan 0, Santos 0

Quarterscores: 11-17; 34-42; 53-57; 69-68