Altas sink Pirates; Knights triumph

JEBB Bulawan of Lyceum gets hammered by a Perpetual double team of John Ylagan (left) and Earl Thompson. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Finally drawing solid games from its unheralded players, Perpetual Help repulsed Lyceum, 78-62, yesterday to regain third spot in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Juneric Baloria led the way with 23 points as he sparked a second-quarter breakaway, but the Altas also got a lift from Justin Alano and Joel Jolangcob as they improved to 4-2, leapfrogging past the Pirates, who fell to 4-3.

The win snapped a two-game slide for the Altas, while ending the Pirates’ three-game run.

“We needed everyone to step up and that’s what happened today,” said Altas coach Aric del Rosario, whose team lost steam against Arellano in the final period in an 85-97 loss last Saturday. “We didn’t force fastbreaks this time and paced ourselves for the fourth quarter, which was our problem against Arellano.”

Letran also arrested its own slide with a narrow 63-61 triumph over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the second game.

The Knights won it at the free throw line  with Mark Cruz and Kier Quinto combining for 4-of-6 charities in the final minute to preserve the victory and improve to 2-4.

Combining for 56 points per outing heading into the game, Baloria, Harold Arboleda and Earl Thompson finally got the support they needed with Alano and Jolangcob taking over in key stretches in the second and third periods.

The Altas also got an unlikely lift from seldom-used John Ylagan, whose two triples helped them take a 54-39 lead late in the third period.

“We couldn’t afford to lose because that meant falling in the standings further,” Baloria said in Filipino. “Everyone responded to the challenge.”

Baloria fired 20 of his output in the second and fourth periods as the Altas came up with a response each time the Pirates threatened to rally.

With the Generals out of sync in the first two quarters, the Knights erected a 32-16 lead at halftime.

The scores:

First Game

PERPETUAL HELP 78—Baloria 23, Alano 15, Thompson 13, Jolangcob 10, Arboleda 9, Ylagan 6, Gallardo 2, Bantayan 0, Oliveria 0, Dizon 0.

LYCEUM 62—Baltazar 15, Gabayni 12, Mbida 12, Zamora 9, Bulawan 6, Ko 4, Elmejrab 2, Taladua 2, Lesmoras 0, Maconocido 0.

Quarters: 15-11, 38-29, 56-46, 78-62

Second Game

LETRAN 63—Racal 19, Cruz 12, Gabawan 8, Tambeling 7, Nambatac 5, Publico 4, Quinto 3, Dela Pena 3, Singontiko 2, Ruaya 0, Castro 0, Luib 0, Apreku 0.

EAC 61—Tayongtong 17, Happi 13, Aguilar 9, Onwubere 7, Arquero 5, Jamon 5, Serrano 2, Saludo 2, King 1, Santos 0.

Quarters: 20-10, 32-16, 45-40, 63-61