FilOil: Altas outstrip Lancers in preseason debut

Facing an imposing African center rotation, the University of Perpetual Help Altas refused to be bullied and ran circles around their slower opposition. The Altas outgunned the University of Visayas Green Lancers, 83-59, on Wednesday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
 

The game was the first assignment in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup for both the Altas and the Green Lancers. Both are pooled in Group A, which is considered the group of death in the tournament headlined by the UAAP champions De La Salle Green Archers, defending FilOil champions UE Red Warriors, plus the two other Cesafi squads.
 

The first half of the game played out as a study in opposites. The much larger Green Lancers tried to slow the game down and set up offense for their imports Cedric Akomo and Jean Marie Mpouma, while the Altas ran the ball off misses, makes and turnovers.
 

The offensive strategy seemed to wear down the lumbering Lancers and over the course of the third and fourth quarters, the Altas side steadily pulled away from the opposition. Combo guard Earl Thompson top-scored for the Altas with 23 points. Thompson also handed out a game-high five assists and tied Akomo with 12 rebounds.
 

With two African imports patrolling the paint for the Cebuanos, the Altas threw bodies in to the shaded lane at every rebounding opportunity, refusing to concede the battle of the boards, and eventually coming out ahead 48-46.
 

UPHSD briefly enjoyed a 30-point lead in the fourth quarter when Thompson hit a jumper with 4:45 left in the game.
 

“It was a matter of helping each other out and boxing out. They are bigger but whoever wants the ball more will end up with the ball,” said Thompson.
 

“We don’t have a star. We need to move the ball, defend and come together to win games, that’s it,” said UPHSD head coach Arrick Del Rosario. “If we’re going to be a small team we’re going to have to run the ball. You could see in the third and fourth quarter they [Green Lancers] tired out.”

UPHSD next plays USC on Saturday, May 3 at 12:30pm, while UV plays JRU on the same day at 2:15pm. - JDL, GMA News

The scores:

UPHSD 83- Thompson 23, Baloria 21, Allano 18, Arboleda 13, Oliveria 4, Gallardo 2, Dizon 2

UV 61- Escosid 11, Abad 9, Suerte 7, Arong 6, Segumpan 6, Akomo 6, Velasco 4, Octobre 4, Perolino 3, Aguirre 2, Cabanero 2, Marquez 2