Altas storm Chiefs, stay at 3rd

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help went on a scoring binge in the third quarter and went on to whip Arellano U, 101-86, and keep its spot at third in the 90th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Earl Scottie Thompson posted his second triple-double effort in the season while Harold Arboleda, Juneric Baloria and Justine Alano combined for 72 points as the Altas broke away from a tight 49-44 game at the half to post a runaway win, their eighth against four losses.

Despite the loss, the Chiefs remained at second at 9-3 behind the San Beda Red Lions (10-2).

In the other game, Jose Rizal held Lyceum to just four points in the first quarter and cruised to a 67-43 victory to stay alongside Perpetual Help.

The Pirates fell to 5-7.

Baloria starred in Perpetual’s big third quarter surge, scattering 14 of his 26 points as the Altas tripled their halftime lead to 84-69 before Arboleda took over in the fourth by drilling in 12 of his game-high 28 points.

Alano chipped in 18 points for the Las Piñas-based squad, whose output tied the season record for most points, curiously posted by Arellano in edging San Sebastian, 101-98, last Aug. 20.

Thompson, a 21-year-old native of Digos, Davao del Sur, also dished out a superb all-around game, finishing with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, his second triple-double in the season after dropping 15 points, pulling down 13 boards and making 12 assists against the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals last July 11.

So impressed was Perpetual Help coach Aric del Rosario of Arboleda, Baloria and Thompson that he likened them to Dennis Espino, Henry Ong and Bal David, who gave the veteran mentor and UST four UAAP championships in the early 90s.

“They remind me of Bal (David), Henry (Ong) and Dennis (Espino) when we won UAAP championships in the 90s,” said Del Rosario in Filipino.

The win also avenged Perpetual’s 85-97 loss to Arellano in the first round elims last July 26.

Taking away Arellano U’s rhythm proved to be the key.

“Our plan is to step up the pace when they’re slowing it down and vice versa,” said Del Rosario.

With Baloria on the firing end, the Altas outscored the Chiefs, 35-25, to pull away at 84-69 heading to the fourth. But just when Perpetual poised itself to put away Arellano U, some of the lights went out due to electrical fluctuations, forcing officials to stop the game with 9.08 remaining.

When play resumed about half an hour later, the Chiefs were able to regroup, cutting the deficit to a single digit.

But Arboleda took over, firing away baskets to quell the Chiefs’ uprising.

Earlier, the Junior Chiefs trounced the Junior Altas, 92-85, to stay in the Final Four hunt.