For the first time in 21 years, the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA is at the top spot as it pulled off a 72-57 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University to break out of its slump in the NCAA Season 101 on Sunday at the Filoil Centre.
By ending their three-game slide, the Altas officially secured the Group A top seed with a 9-4 card and the corresponding twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals. The Pirates, meanwhile, finished the group stage with a 3-10 card.
The last time Perpetual finished as the top team after the preliminary round was in 2004, when it posted a 10-4 record to reach the finals against former NCAA member school Philippine Christian University in Season 80.
Since then, the Las Piñas squad has not returned to the championship stage, and the current Altas are out to end that long finals drought.
"'Yun 'yung crucial, 'yung ahead of the quarterfinals, kailangan namin 'yung panalo na 'to lalo na with regards with our confidence," Perpetual head coach Olsen Racela said.
"Mahirap pa rin kalaban 'yung LPU at si Coach Gilbert, but even if we didn't get help from Arellano [to get the number one spot], ang focus namin is to win this game."
With the way they handled the Pirates in their latest win, Racela is brimming with confidence as they head into the quarterfinals against either Jose Rizal University or Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Perpetual set the tone early with Mark Gojo Cruz and LA Casinillo fronting the offense in the first half, where the ALTAs surged to a 37-27 lead at the break.
Perpetual never looked back from there, with John Abis converting a three-point play and Casinillo draining a triple to build a 51-36 lead in the third. JP Boral then capped the quarter with a jumper as the ALTAs seized a 61-42 advantage.
The large lead allowed Perpetual to give several bench players minutes in the final period, with Kenji Duremdes and JM Tulabut adding the closing baskets.
A well-balanced attack powered Perpetual, as sophomore star Mark Gojo Cruz tallied 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, receiving ample support from Abis, Boral, and Tulabut, who each added nine points in the 15-point win.
The ALTAs hope to carry this momentum to the quarterfinals, where they will face the winner of the play-in match between the Heavy Bombers and the Generals.
Scores:
Perpetual 72 - Gojo Cruz 10, Abis 9, Boral 9, Tulabut 9, Casinillo 8, Duremdes 6, Alcantara 6, Nunez 5, Sleat 5, Orgo 3, Maglupay 2, Roluna 0, Magdangal 0, Gelsano 0, Borja 0.
LPU 57 - Barba 13, Montano 8, Penafiel 8, Aurigue 6, Daileg 5, Pallingayan 5, Villegas 4, Moralejo 4, Versoza 3, Casino 1, Paulo 0, Abregana 0, Matienzo 0,Aviles 0, Reyes 0.
Quarters: 21-9, 37-27, 61-42, 72-57.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
