NCAA: Perpetual Help posts crucial OT win over Lyceum

Coach Olsen Racela and Perpetual Help during a win over Lyceum in NCAA Season 100.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–JP Boral waxed hot early but University of Perpetual Help Dalta needed its entire arsenal to survive feisty Lyceum in overtime, 89-83, at the resumption of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament Saturday.

Jearico Nunez used his 6-foot-5 frame to the hilt and with the aid of Christian Pagaran and Mark Gojo Cruz put the Pirates in check in the extra period as the Altas scored a crucial bounced-back victory, their sixth overall in 14 games.

Boral poured 15 of his team-high 18 points in the first half, highlighted by four threes, and Pagaran added 16 points, including a putback with less than a minute remaining that created the separation to force the Pirates into panic.

READ: NCAA: Arellano fuels Final Four chase with win over Perpetual Help

Pagaran certainly atoned for a bungled inbound pass in regulation that Mclaude Guadana stole that paved the way for Lyceum to knot the count at 77 on Jonathan Daileg’s tight corner jumper, forcing the extension.

“We knew the importance of this game. We really cannot afford to lose if we want to be in the Final Four,” said Pagaran in Filipino, the Altas’ leader and team skipper.

It didn’t end well for the Altas in their previous match opposite the Arellano Chiefs, losing six of their last seven games.

In control in the first three quarters, the Altas’ scoring machinery suddenly conked out in the fourth, allowing the Chiefs to essay an amazing come-from-behind win.

READ: JM Bravo out at least two games for Final Four hopeful Lyceum

There was no Perpetual meltdown this time. Nunez scored the team’s first five points in overtime before Pagaran helped out in preserving their efforts. Gojo Cruz sealed the Pirates’ fate as the rookie sank four free throws along with Boral’s lone freebie to secure the triumph.

Playmaker Renz Villegas nailed six threes and finished with 23 points and John Barba tallied 17 points off the bench for the Pirates, who suffered another defeat after the Chiefs exploited Lyceum’s frontline through the 6-foot-6 JL Capulong exactly a week back.

John Abis reinforced the Altas with a solid all-around performance of 12 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists as they took revenge of a first-round defeat against the Pirates. Lyceum fell into fifth place with a 6-7 record.

The scores:

PERPETUAL HELP 89 – Boral 18, Pagaran 16, Nuñez 15, Abis 12, Gojo Cruz 9, Manuel 7, Pizarro 6, Montemayor 4, Gelsano 2

LYCEUM 83 – Villegas 23, Barba 17, Daileg 10, Guadaña 9, Moralejo 9, Aviles 5, Peñafiel 4, Montaño 3, Versoza 3, Panelo 0, Gordon 0, Pallingayan 0

Quarter scores: 26-25, 46-45, 64-59, 77-77 (reg.), 89-83 (OT)