UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help showed its deadly arsenal in the third quarter and sent College of Saint Benilde (CSB) crashing, 70-45, to join San Beda on top of the standings in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 92 seniors men’s basketball tournament on Thursday at The Arena in San Juan City.
After a tight first half, the Altas started to pull away in the third period to finally seal a lopsided win over the hapless Blazers to improve to a 10-2 win-loss card, same mark with the Red Lions.
On the other hand, it was a game to forget for CSB as it absorbed its 12 straight loss of the season, the school’s worst start since joining the league in 1998.
Bright Akhuetie led the attack with 15 points and six rebounds, while Gab Dagangon had 12 markers and six boards to help the Altas recover from its disappointing loss to San Sebastian College last week.
“Galing sa talo kaya kailangan gawin ng team ‘yung game plan. Maganda ang depensa, ‘yung offense susunod na ‘yun,” Perpetual Help Head Coach Jimwell Gican said.
The game was tight early, with the Altas carrying a slim 19-17 lead after the first period.
In the second frame, Dagangon hit a buzzer-beating triple to pile the cushion to 34-28 at the half.
It was a different story in the third canto, as the Altas went on a rampage to score 18 points against the Blazers’ dismal seven-point output. Dagangon and Prinze Eze ran the offense, as they combined for 12 points to catapult Perpetual to a large lead, 52-35, entering the final frame.
The Altas didn’t stop there, as they erupted for a 14-0 run in the early going of the fourth period, courtesy of Flash Sadiwa and Jeffrey Coronel. Benilde tried to stop the bleeding with back-to-back triples from JJ Domingo and Alfonso Saavedra with under six minutes to play, but Perpetual displayed more composure in the crucial stretch to seal the game away.
“Pinakita lang talaga namin ‘yung teamwork. Hindi kami pwedeng mag-relax. Kailangan naming mag-focus at mag-adjust kasi lahat ng mga team gagawin para manalo,” Dagangon said.
Eze supplemented Akhuetie’s performance with 10 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. Gerald Dizon finished with 11 markers.
The Las Piñas-based team avenged its 55-71 loss to the Stags in the first round.
Perpetual just proved why it is the top defensive team in the league after limiting the Blazers to their lowest scoring output in the season.
It forced Benilde to 24 turnovers while committing 18 of its own. The Altas were also dominant in the rebounding department, 54-32.
Domingo had a game-high of 19 points for the Blazers, but committed seven turnovers in the entire game. Domingo had little support from his teammates, as no other CSB player managed to hit double figures in scoring.
Carlo Young had eight markers, the only player to make an impact among the wards of Head Coach Gab Velasco.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza