FilOil: Perpetual Help stays perfect, leans on show of offense to down UE

The University of Perpetual Help Altas ground out a tough win, stymying the University of the East Red Warriors, 83-78, on Monday at the FilOil Flying V Arena, in the 2014 FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.

The Altas who won their third straight game, lead by as much as 11, despite bannering no foreign players and no local taller than 6’4”. Despite these handicaps, they emerged victorious over a team that boasted of foreign big men Charles Mammie and Moustapha Arafat.

Juneric Baloria, Justine Alano, and Harold Arboleda combined for 74 of their team's 83 points. Team rebounding helped keep them in the game, matching UE's 47 rebounds with 45 of their own. The Altas also tallied 20 dimes as a team.

"Ang ganda ng samahan namin, iniikot namin yung bola. Kung sino yung last option yun na yung tumitira sa play,” said Alano. “Lahat gustong manalo, walang petiks, yung diskarte namin maganda. Sama-sama kami, kahit matalo manalo."

"Yun lang sinasabi ko, walang star eh,” added the Perpetual Help coach, Aric Del Rosario.

The Perps swarmed the paint early, frustrating Mammie and creating turnovers as they mounted an early 11-7 lead early. The Red Warriors punched back with a 10-0 run, drawing seven points from Bong Galanza to snare the lead at 17-15. A put-back by Alano ended the drought for the Altas as they entered the second frame in a deadlock, 17-17.

The second quarter was tightly contested as neither team gained considerable separation, the lead changing by a point every possession. UE's dynamic changed as soon as Coach Derrick Pumaren subbed in Arafat, helping UE employ a quicker running game and fortify their weak side defense, as Arafat's length prevented easy drives from Thompson and Baloria. The Red Warriors broke out of the deadlock after a short-stab by Mammie and they entered the second half with a slim two-point margin, 36-34.

Galanza paced his team with 10 points at the break while Mammie had seven points and 10 rebounds at the half.

Baloria led his team with 16 points, 11 in the first, while Alano followed with nine. Harold Arboleda had seven points and eight rebounds before the halftime buzzer sounded. The Altas had one more rebound, 38-37, despite Mammie and Arafat manning the paint for Coach Pumaren.

The third quarter picked up from where it left off as teams kept trading baskets until Baloria and Alano collaborated for five straight markers, 48-43, before UE scored four straight to get within a point, 50-49. Alano cashed in on an and-one play, drawing Arafat's fourth foul, 58-55, but free throws allowed UE to stay within striking distance. The Altas ended the third quarter with a one-point lead, 59-58.

The Altas' run-and gun scheme went on full display early in the fourth, as two triples from Arboleda sparked a 10-4 run which gave them a 69-62 advantage, forcing Coach Pumaren to call a timeout. The lead reached its peak at 13 points after Baloria and Alano scored six straight for the Perps, 82-69, but UE racked up nine straight, seven off free throws as the referees slapped Baloria with an unsportsmanlike foul after he roughhoused Arafat on a drive, 82-78. The Altas missed some crucial free throws but UE failed to convert anything, allowing the Altas to escape.

Earl Thompson added eight points, six rebounds, and six assists for Perpetual Help. Arboleda also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and dished out six assists. The Altas made eight of their 23 attempts from three-point land and nailed 19 tries from the charity stripe.

Roi Sumang scattered 16 points on 16 shots, to go along with six rebounds and seven assists. Galanza flipped 15 points off 50 percent shooting, Mammie notched a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Arafat added 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks. The Red Warriors matched up well in every category but lost out at the line, where they made 15 free throws compared to Perpetual's 19.

The Red Warriors (0-2) look to notch their first win as they tackle the JRU Heavy Bombers (2-0) on May 17 at 2:15pm, while the Altas (3-0) face a Cebu team next, going up against the Southwestern University Cobras (0-0) on Friday at 2pm. - AMD, GMA News



The scores:

UPHSD - Baloria 28, Alano 26, Arboleda 20, Thompson 8, Dagangon  1, Gallardo 0, Dizon 0, Sadiwa 0, Oliveria0 , Jolangcob 0, Bantayan 0, Cabiltes 0

UE - Sumang 16, Galanza 15, Mammie 13, Arafat 10, Javier 8, Caparida 6, Palma 4, Charcos 4, Jumao-Ass 2, Varilla 0, Hernandez 0, De Leon 0

Quarter scoring: 17-17, 34-36, 59-58, 83-78