Altas shrug off Lions

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

That San Beda riddle Arellano could not seem to solve? Perpetual may have just unlocked it.

Gab Dagangon fired 27 points, including the go-ahead basket with 19 seconds left, as the Altas scored an 87-83 victory over the Red Lions yesterday in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Final Four wars at Mall of Asia Arena.

“But it’s just one game, they are twice to beat and we need to prepare harder for Game 2,” said Altas coach Jimwell Gican, whose squad pulled off the first postseason win against San Beda in 12 years to force a do-or-die match on Tuesday.

Arellano, which has lost all three games this season to San Beda, took its cue from the upset and punched its ticket to the Finals with a 92-80 rout as Jio Jalalon and Lervin Flores regained their old, ruthless form.

The victory came after the Red Lions had beaten Arellano twice in a row to close their elimination-round assignments and seal the No. 1 spot going into the Final Four.

“We didn’t talk about it (our losses to San Beda) anymore,” said Arellano coach Jerry Codiñera, whose squad swept Mapua in the elimination round. “We immediately moved forward against Mapua. That was the key.”

The Chiefs came through with a strong start, but needed Jalalon’s brilliance in the final period to put away the Cardinals, who came within 76-70 on Mapua guard Darrel Menina’s triple with four minutes remaining.

Perpetual, meanwhile, hardly looked like a threat going into a semifinal showdown against the league’s top seed and were caught in seeming disarray after a spat between star Bright Akhuetie and consultant Nosa Omorgbe.

But Akhuetie returned from a team-imposed one-game suspension to finish with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Daryl Singontiko, who anchored the Altas’ strong start, added 15 points.

The scores:

First Game

PERPETUAL HELP 87—Dagangon 27, Akhuetie 15, Singontiko 15, Hao 8, Ilagan 8, Coronel 6, Pido 6, Sadiwa 2, Eze 0, Gallardo 0, Mangalino 0.

SAN BEDA 83—Bolick 21, Soberano 16, Noah 14, Potts 12, Mocon 8, Adamos 6, Optana 2, Prebitero 2, Sara 2, Alas 0, Bonsubre 0, Carlos 0, Navarro 0, Tongco 0.

Quarters: 21-9, 41-36, 60-62, 87-83

Second Game

ARELLANO 92—Jalalon 22, Flores 22, Salado 13, Gumaru 10, Meca 5, Nicholls 5, Cadavis 4, Villoria 4, Holts 3, Enriquez 2, Aguilar 2, Gupilan 0.

MAPUA 80—Oraeme 20, Estrella 15, Isit 14, Eriobu 11, Raflores 7, Menina 6, Orquina 4, Victoria 2, Biteng 0, Bunag 0, Aguirre 0.

Quarters: 27-18, 49-42, 69-57, 92-80