Altas check skid, hold off Pirates

Games tomorrow

12 noon – San Sebastian vs San Beda (Jrs/Srs)

4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs Arellano U (Srs/Jrs)

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help checked a two-game slide as it trounced Lyceum, 78-63, while Letran struggled past Emilio Aguinaldo College, 63-61, to likewise bounce back into contention in the 90th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

The Altas, who swept their first three games behind the fancied troika of Juneric Baloria, Earl Thompson and Harold Arboleda before dropping their next two, finally drew support from the bench as Justine Alano, Joel Jolangcob and John Ylagan stepped up and combined for 31 points, helping the Las Pinas-based squad clinch its fourth win in six games to move up to solo third.

Lyceum slid to fourth at 4-3.

Alano churned out a season-best 15 points, Jolangcob added 10 markers and hauled down eight rebounds and seldom-used Ylagan hit two triples in a six-minute stint in the third period as the Altas built a 10-point lead en route to victory.

“I’m one of the veterans of this team so I’m embarrassed when I played bad in our last game,” said the 22-year-old Alano, who struggled miserably by finishing with just five points in a stinging 97-85 defeat to the Arellano U Chiefs last week, in Filipino.

“I struggled in our last game. But as a veteran I really made a conscious effort to make an impact in this game,” said the 22-year-old Alano, who finished with just five points in the team’s 85-97 defeat to the Arellano U Chiefs last week.

Kevin Racal took charge in the clutch as the Knights hacked out a tough two-point win over the Generals to notch what was only their second win against four losses.

EAC dropped to 1-5.

Baloria played true to form and finished with a game-high 23 points while Thompson had another superb all-around performance of 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists with two blocks and two steals to boot.

Arboleda, the team’s third highest scorer, added nine points.

“That’s what I keep telling my players – to contribute and help because Baloria, Thompson and Arboleda can’t do it alone,” said Perpetual Help coach Aric del Rosario.

Wilson Baltazar led Lyceum with 15 points, including 12 in the third period when the Pirates tried to mount a comeback.

Cameroonian swingman Guy Mbida fired 12 points while Joseph Gabayni had a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds plus three blocks but the Pirates had no match to Perpetual’s firepower.

The Altas also toughed up on defense as they held Dexter Zamora and Shane Ko to a combined 13-point output after the duo averaged in double digits in their first six outings.

ncncThe Scores:

First Game

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

LPU 62 – Baltazar 15, Gabayni 12, Mbida 12, Zamora 9, Bulawan 6, Ko 4, Taladua 2, Elmejrab 2, Soliman 0, Lesmoras 0, Malabanan 0, Maconocido 0.

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

Second Game

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

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

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