The University of Perpetual Help Altas are on a roll
Turnovers, free throws and driving shots from Prince Eze and Kim Aurin put the Altas in the direction they wanted to go.
Aurin showed the way with a career-high 22 points for the Altas, who finished with a 74-68 verdict over the Mapua Cardinals yesterday at the Fil-Oil Flying V Sports Center in San Juan.
Eze added 18 points for the Altas, who picked up their third straight win in the 94th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.
Jeffrey Coronel added 14 points in helping the Altas post their fifth triumph in seven matches, allowing the Las Piñas based cagers to climb to third place overall.
The 6’11” Eze sank one of two charity tries in the last 1:48, halting the Cardinals rally from 11 points down in the fourth quarter and giving them some space, 67-64.
A steal and a drive, followed by layup which came following Eze’s block, allowed Aurin to bounce back from a couple of errors midway in the period, putting the Altas further ahead, 71-64, in the last 1:14.
“Mapua is a tough team. We were up by 11 points. But they moved back to within two points. Tamang tama ang pasok ko kay Aurin. He had a couple of blunders kaya ko nilabas. Buti na lang, nakabawi,” said Altas coach Frankie Lim.
Warren Bonifacio shot 13 points for the Cardinals, who fell to 2-6.
Earlier in the junior side, the San Sebastian Staglets leaned on reserve player Joshua Perez’s defensive stop at the buzzer to pull off an unforgettable 52-51 upset win over the San Red Cubs, who the Recoletos cagers have never beaten in 11 years.
The Staglets squandered a 12-point edge they earned in the last 5:30 as the Red Cubs threatened to within a point off a charity from Joshua Lazaro with 1:16 left.
When Lazaro made a driving a layup at the buzzer, Perez tapped the ball away from his hands, forcing a scramble for the loose ball.
Milo Janao hit 13 points for the Staglets, who finished the first round with a 4-5 slate. The Red Cubs, with Zach Estacio making 13, have a 3-3 card.
“Ngayon lang kami ulit nanalo sa San Beda since nagsimula akong mag-coach. Buti, nag-stepup ang mg a bata,” said Staglets’ coach Melo Banua.
Jonnel Policarpio banged in 23 points for the Mapua Red Robins in their 99-65 whipping of the University of Perpetual Help Junior Altas.