Altas, Chiefs gun for joint 3rd place

Arellano Chiefs’ Kent Salado and Jiovani Jalalon. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

PERPETUAL Help and Arellano shoot for a share of third spot as they battle separate rivals Tuesday while Lyceum guns for a third straight win in NCAA Season 92 at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Fresh off a stunning win over defending champion Letran, the Altas are fancied to pick up a fourth win in six outings as they battle struggling St. Benilde at 4 p.m.

Arellano seeks to bounce back against  Emilio Aguinaldo College  at  noon in the first game of a triple-header.

The Pirates hope to continue their climb as they go up against struggling San Sebastian at 2 p.m.

Ian Alban and Mike Nzeusseu are looking to sustain their superb games for the Pirates, who prevailed over St. Benilde and Emilio Aguinaldo College last week.

“The important thing for us right now is staying consistent,” said Lyceum coach Topex Robinson, a former Stag.

The Altas will be pinning their hopes on Nigerian center Bright Akhuetie, who had 21 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks against the Knights.

The Blazers endured a nightmarish outing against Akhuetie last season when the Altas center torched them for a season-high 44 points.

Perpetual Help coach Jimwell Gican hopes the Altas continue to flash the same defensive intensity when they held the Knights to a season-low 55 points.

“We need to improve on our defense each game and be better as a team,” said Gican.

Arellano suffered an 86-101 defeat to San Beda last Friday.