Altas leans on strong start to frustrate Warriors at Filoil pre-season cup

MANILA, Philippines — University of Perpetual Help got off to a sizzling start but had to ward off a late run by University of San Carlos for a 71-61 victory Saturday at the 2014 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.

The Altas were up by as many as 21, 53-32, halfway in the third but needed the heroics of Harold Arboleda, Justin Alano and Juneric Baloria to take fight out of the Warriors in the fourth.

The Cebu-based USC, behind the trio, trimmed the deficit to 10 several times in the fourth but couldn’t finish the job due to costly turnovers.

“I told them that we can just let the opponent catch up just like that. Hopefully, we’ll be able to correct this, I hope this league will help us get better for the NCAA,” said veteran Perpetual coach Aric del Rosario.

Baloria led with 22 points, as Earl Scottie Thompson and Alano each had 14 for the Altas, who got 20 points off 25 USC miscues while racing to 16 fastbreak points.

It was Perpetual’s second victory in the pre-season tilt while visiting USC reeled to its second setback.

Cameroonian Olago Shooster, meanwhile, topscored for for the Warriors with 16 points and nine rebounds, while Plata and Ortega combined for 27 points.