J HOOP Basketball

“Sacrifice small comforts for your dream, so your dream never becomes your price."

Train with purpose; let discipline be the quiet force behind your effort. Purpose gives direction, discipline ensures the work gets done. Repetition turns intention into habit, and habit into change. Train with purpose, and watch your future form.

Finals Bound 💪🏀🏆
God bless Palawan Yurich Builder
JR MPBL 18U Championship

18U SOUTH DIVISION CHAMPIONS
DYNASTY IN MOTION

The reigning, defending National Champions, Palawan Yurich Builders, have done it again. Back-to-back South Division Champions, asserting their dominance and setting their sights on history.

Now, they stand on the brink of something never done before: becoming Junior MPBL’s first-ever back-to-back National Champions.

Leading the charge is Louie Rosales, named 18U South Division Finals MVP, delivering when the pressure was highest and guiding Palawan with composure, toughness, and championship poise.

But the final test awaits.

Palawan will now face the Makabagong San Juan Mighty Warriors in a best-of-three National Finals. North vs South, redemption vs reign.

Every possession matters.
Every game counts.
For all the marbles.

LOOK | SPORTS: PERPETUAL HELP JUNIOR ALTAS TO HOLD SERIES OF BASKETBALL TRYOUTS IN CEBU

Cebuano players who aspire to become part of the Perpetual Help Junior Altas basketball team in the NCAA will have a chance to do so.
This as Altas head coach Joph Cleopas will be coming over to his beloved hometown of Cebu to hold a series of open tryouts starting on Thursday, May 8, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at the Crown Regency Suites & Residences Mactan Cebu in Barangay Gun-ob, Lapu-Lapu City.
Cleopas, who recently made history after guiding the Junior Altas to their first NCAA crown, will oversee the tryouts for the Under 15 (born between 2010 and 2011) and Under 19 (born between 2006 and 2009) age groups. For those born in 2006, aspirants must be turning Grade 12, not repeaters.
After Lapu-Lapu, the 37-year-old Cleopas said they will bring their search for hoop talents in Toledo City on Friday, May 9, and in the municipality of Medellin in northern Cebu on Saturday, May 10.
"Since Cebuano ko, nag-decide ko na mouli para magpa-tryout ug kahibaw ko nga naay daghan nga players na matabangan nato maka-eskwela pinaagi sa ilang talent sa basketball," said Cleopas. "Daghan sad ni-graduate sa ako juniors mao nangita gyud mi og players nga naay potensiyal kay nag-prepare mi sa NCAA Season 101."
Now a champion coach, Cleopas rose from his humble beginnings as a varsity player of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) during his high school days.
Cleopas would later on become assistant of coach Albert Alocillo with the USPF Panthers in the CESAFI from 2011-2015 while serving as chief strategist of his alma mater's high school ballclub in those years.
After that, he was hired as strength and conditioning coach of Batang Gilas in 2016 and assistant coach of the San Bed Red Lions where he won a three-peat.
Since then, he has made a lot of exposure in the field of coaching.
After his remarkable stints with the San Beda and University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers that reached the UAAP Final Four in 2019, Cleopas was named as head coach of the University of Perpetual Help System Junior Altas in December 2020.
Two years later, Cleopas was hired as assistant coach of Converge FiberXers in the PBA but only for a short period of time as he decided to focus solely on his coaching responsibility with the Junior Altas.
"Sa mga interesado, dad-a inyong jersey, mas maayo duha light ug dark, tubig, ug ang inyong kusog ug kasingkasing para sa duwa. Kini ang chance ninyo nga mapakita ang inyong abilidad ug mahimong kabahin sa team. Magkita ta sa court, mga amigo!," said Cleopas.

| Emmanuel Villaruel/Photo from coach Joph's Facebook

CEBUANO 🏀

SUGBOANON MIKULIT OG KASAYSAYAN
SA MANILA; MAGPA TRYOUT DINHI SA SUGBO

CEBU, Philippines - Ang kinaiya mas importanti kay sa abilidad.

Kini maoy baruganan nga gisubay sa usa ka Sugboanong coach nga nakakulit og dakong pangalan didto sa Kaulohan

Si .coach Joph Cleopas, lumad nga taga Ponce, Capitol Site, dakbayan sa Sugbo ang mikulit og kasaysayan sa dihang, sa unang higayon, iyang napa-champion ang University of Perpetual Help System sa National College Athletic Association (NCAA) high school division sa niaging buwan.

Kini human nila gipildi ang Bemilde-La Salle Green Hills, 101-67, sa deciding Game 3 sa ilang best-of-three championship series sa NCAA Season 100 didto sa Filoil EcoOil Center sa San Juan.

“It’s a blessing that we got this because the boys fought hard. I’d like to give credit to the coaching staff, I can’t get this without them,” matod pa ni Cleopas, kansang mga batos niabot usab sa Finals sa niaging tuig apan napildi sa Letran sa Game 3.

"The players played so well. This is the best game I’ve ever seen from them. They made an exclamation point and a statement to win," siya midugang.

Ang maong kampiyonato maoy unang naangkon sa Perpetual sukad sa ilang pagsalmot sa lega niadtong 1984.

KINSA SI CLEOPAS

Si Cleopas, anak sa usa ka opisyal sa polisl, nahimong high school player sa University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USPF). Apan sa iyang pagtungtong sa kolehiyo, iyang gipadayon ang iyang basketball career didto sa Perpetual Altas sa Kaulohan atol sa NCAA Season 81.

Human niini, nakadesider siya nga mobalik dinhi sa Sugbo sa tinguha nga mohuman sa iyang pag-eskuwela aron mo-abroad. Apan daw ang gugma sa basketball maoy mipatigbabaw.

Tuig 2010, nahimo siyang coach sa USPF Juniors Basketball team hangtod sa 2015.

Sa 2016, mitumaw ang oportunidad ug gikuha siya sa San Beda Red Lions isip assistant coach nga ubos sa pagdumala ni Jude Roque kinsa maoy team manager.

Naghatag og timaan ang iyang destinasyon sa San Beda sanglit sa tulo niya ka tuig sa team naangkon gilayon niya ang three-peat (2016-2018).

Human niini, laing oportunidaa ang mituktok na usab sa pultahan sa iyang karera ug ning higayona nahimo siyang tipik sa basketball program sa University of Growling Tigers diin nakapatong usab sila sa Finals sa 2019 apan napildi sa Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Sa kalit lang nihilom ang kalibutan sa sports sa dihang miigo ang pandemia. Way gitugotan nga makapahigayon og mga sporting events.

Apan sa paglurang sa makalilisang nga sakit, ang Perpetual School kon University of Perpetual Help System Dalta miagni kaniya nga malakip sa ilang basketball program, butang nga wala niya palabya.

Taliwala ning sunodsunod nga oportunidad nga mihasmag kaniya, hugot ang pagtuo sa relihiyuso ug mapaubsanong coach nga kining tanang grasya nga iyang nadawat gikan sa Kahitas-an.

"God has blessed me abundantly throughout this journey." matod ni Joph sa Sports Ta, Bai.

Iyang gitug-an, nga sa sinugdanan wa gyud bisan og gamay sa iyang pangandoy ang iyang nakab-ot karon. Apan sa pagpatong kaniya sa kolehiyo, daw og diddto iyang nasinati ang panawagan sa pagtabang sa mga batan-on nga may igong abilidad ug potensiyal sa basketball.

"That's why I'm here," niya pa.

Mapasigarbuhon usab siya nga naabot sa PBA sa dihang gikuha siya sa Converge team uban ni coach Aldin Ayo diin sa samang higayon siya usab ang nagdudmala sa Perpetual Junior team, apan iyang gihatagan og igong gibug-aton ang pagtutok sa high school team aron kini mamahimong title-contender.

"I’m really grateful to have been part of the Converge team with Coach Aldin Ayo. While I was there, I was also coaching the Junior Altas, and it became clear to me that I needed to dedicate more time to my high school team."

"I wanted to help them reach their full potential and become real contenders. So, I made the heartfelt choice to step back from my pro coaching career to focus on the Junior Altas, and honestly, every moment has been worth it," dugang sasay ni Joph.

Giangkon ni Joph nga sa iyang panahon, wa gyud siya makaduwa sa Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) tungod kay nalakip siya sa wa madala sa team.

"I graduated from high school at the young age of 15. After graduation, I decided to take a year off to focus on training and prepare for college. Praise God, I was given the opportunity to play in NCAA college rank."

Sa iyang mensahi ngadto sa mga batan-on ug potensiyal nga mga coaches, si Joph nagkanayon:

"My prayer for upcoming coaches is to be humble, work hard, and maintain integrity. Always be a student of the game—no one owns the sport; everything is earned through hard work. Character is more important than talent. Being humble is what truly matters. Envy and insecurities can hinder your progress. Appreciate others and be appreciated in return."

Sa tinguha nga mapadayon ang iyang pagtabang ngadto sa mga Sugboanon, si coach Joph gikatakda nga mopahigayon og tryout dinhi sa Sugbo karong Mayo 8 (Huwebes).

Sa iyang FB account, iyang gipahibawo nga ang tryout nga anha ipahigayon sa Crown Regency Lapu-lapu Basketball Court. alang niadtong mga natawo sa tuig 2010 ug 2011.

Giplano usab nilang mopahigayon og tryout sa Toledo City sa Mayo 9 ug Medellin sa Mayo 10.

Keep up the good work, coach. STB

THE CHAMPIONS ARE BUILDING AN EMPIRE! Think you’ve got what it takes? Step up and show us your skills. 🔥

The Perpetual Junior Altas are now open for tryouts on May 3, 2025, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the UPHSD Gym 2. It is open for BORN 2006 - 2010. If you are Born 2006, you must not be a grade 12 repeater.