PERPETUAL Help whipped Jose Rizal University, 85-78, for its fifth victory in the National Collegiate Athletics Association Season 100 Juniors’ Basketball Tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Wednesday.
LeBron Jhames Daep led the way for the Junior Altas with a team-high 15 points and 8 boards.
Daep also shot 3 of 4 of his 3-point attempts, while JD Pagulayan, Jim Corpuz and Jericho Cristino each scored 13 points to lead the team to its fifth win in six games at the top of the standings.
Icee Callangan sealed the win with four free throws in the dying seconds to post the six-point win against the Kalentong-based basketeers.
The Junior Altas led by as much as 35-16, but slowly lost grip in the 4th quarter, allowing JRU to close the gap at 74-76 in the last minute and 47 seconds.
Daep’s undergoal shot moved Perpetual to safer grounds at 78-74, before Callangan hit four free throws in the final 34.9 and 24.7 seconds, respectively, for the final tally.
Daep was ably backed up by Pagulayan, who had 13 points, 3 boards, 3 assists and a steal; Corpuz (13 points, 5 rebounds) and Cristino (13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.
Lee Marin led JRU with 24 points, 2 boards and 3 steals.
In other games, Arellano University turned back College of St. Benilde, 91-84, while Emilio Aguinaldo College edged San Sebastian College, 76-73.