Altas’ D shows bite in win over Generals
With a 9-0 finish in crunch time, Perpetual Help showed exactly why it sits atop Group A in the NCAA Season 101 men’s basketball tournament.
The Altas leaned on late-game composure to fend off Emilio Aguinaldo College, 69-60, at San Juan Arena on Wednesday, halting the Generals’ two-game win streak while securing a sixth win in seven outings.
“We need to build a cushion [with wins],” said coach Olsen Racela in Filipino. “But we also have to guard against complacency, especially with tougher teams ahead. As long as we stick to our system—especially on defense—we’ll be fine.”
Perpetual, the tournament’s finest defensive team, clung to a 60-57 lead late in the fourth quarter before EAC’s Wilmar Oftana buried a long triple to tie the game with under three minutes to play. That would be the Generals’ final basket as the Altas’ defense came to fore.
John Abis jump-started the Altas’ closing blitz with a short stab at the 2:38 mark, sparking a game-ending 9-0 run that silenced EAC and sealed the deal for Perpetual.
Abis finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Mark Gojo Cruz added 12 while JP Boral chipped in 10, their combined efforts keeping Perpetual ahead of the pack in Group A.
The Generals dropped to a 3-4 card, tied with Jose Rizal University in Group B.
Meanwhile, over in Group B, College of St. Benilde vented its frustration on San Sebastian after a close loss to Arellano.
“We talked about wanting to bounce back and find our confidence,” said Blazers head coach Charles Tiu. “They woke up today and got the job done.”
The Blazers pulled away early, using a 17-7 run in the second to open a 42-24 halftime gap. Allen Liwag, back after battling dengue, led the charge with 19 points and seven rebounds. Justine Sanchez contributed 16 points and 11 boards as Benilde improved to 4-2.
