University of Perpetual Help System DALTA head coach Myk Saguiguit knew they had to put a stop on Arellano University's Justin Arana if they wanted to stay alive in the NCAA Season 97 men's basketball tournament.
Luckily for the Altas, 6-foot-5 big man Mark Omega heeded Saguiguit's call to guard Arana and limit the slotman on both ends.
"'Yun talaga ang game plan namin. Alam niyo naman ang Arellano, it's Justin Arana's team," Saguiguit said after their 59-52 win on Sunday.
"Kumbaga sabi ko sa kanila, 'kapag binigay niyo 'yung kumportable sa kaniya, tayo ang magiging hindi kumportable'."
Arana was averaging 15.5 points per game, alongisde league-leading numbers with 17.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game.
But against Perpetual, he was only able to churn out nine points in the knockout game, the first time in a while that he wasn't in double-digits in scoring.
The Arellano star did post 17 rebounds, though, alongside two blocks and one assist in almost 30 minutes of action.
The lack of the usual dominance from Arana, relatively speaking, played a big role in Perpetual's triumph as the Altas took a step closer to entering the Final Four.
Omega, meanwhile, finished the game with nine rebounds and eight points of his own and made it difficult for Arana for much of the game.
"So yung Mark Omega, sabi ko kahit wala siyang shooting, trabahuhin mo [si Justin] kasi kung ma-stop natin 'yan, we're gonna have a good chance of beating Arellano," Saguiguit added.
The Altas now advance to a knockout game against the College of Saint Benilde Blazers, with the winner taking the last spot in the Final Four.
—JMB, GMA News
