NCAA: Perpetual deals San Sebastian first defeat

Perpetual Help drew strength from an unusual source as it turned back San Sebastian, 82-79, that sent it to the top alongside four-time defending champion San Beda in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City on Saturday.

Earl Scottie Thompson, Harold Arboleda and Juneric Baloria led their team in scoring with 26, 19 and 18 points, respectively, but it was rookie big man Ric Gallardo who got the job done down the stretch.

Gallardo, a 17-year-old prized find from Marivelles, Bataan, swatted away a Bobby Balucanag shot that led to a wide-open layup by Thompson that knotted the count at 79-all with over a minute to go.

A couple of plays later, the reed-thin but long-limbed Gallardo caught a Thompson airball from way beyond the arc. Just as the shotclock was expiring, Gallardo banged in a shot that gave the Altas the 81-79 lead with 19.8 seconds remaining.

He then plucked the rebound off a missed floater by neophyte Jerick Fabian and after he was fouled by Bradwyn Guinto and sent him to the free throw line, he sank the front end before missing the second.

Jamil Ortuoste got the rebound and was a step too slow to launch the desperation triple that was way short that sealed the Las Pinas-based school to its second straight win and join San Beda at the helm.

"Swerte lang (It was luck),” said Perpetual Help coach Aric del Rosario, who was all praises on his freshman Gallardo.

"Matiyaga at masipag ang bata na yan (That kid is patient and hardworking)."

The Altas blew a 23-point lead in the first quarter, when they roared to a 31-13 lead by torching the Stags with seven booming triples early.

But San Sebastian found a way to fight its way back in the third quarter when Jaymar Perez, scoreless in the first half after he was hobbled by early foul trouble, teamed with Bradwyn Guinto and Jamil Ortuoste for a rally.

The Stags, in fact, looked headed to completing a mighty comeback when they snatched a six-point edge twice, the last at 79-73 on a reverse layup by Jovit dela Cruz with a little over three minutes left.

But the Altas racked up six unanswered points — four by Arboleda and two by Thompson — before Gallardo's heroics.

Ortuoste paced the Stags with 22 points while Guinto and dela Cruz scattered 18 and 16, respectively.

But Perpetual found a way to neutralize Perez, who was held to just eight points after scoring a combined 49 points in San Sebastian’s victories over Letran, 85-83, and Jose Rizal, 88-81.

The Stags' record fell to 2-1.
 
The Scores:

Perpetual (82) -- Thompson 26, Arboleda 19, Baloria 18, ALano 6, Dizon 5, Dagangon 5, Gallardo 3, Oliveria 0, Bantayan 0, Sadiwa 0, Jolangcob 0.

San Sebastian (79) -- Ortuoste 22, Guinto 18, Dela Cruz 16, Perez 8, Fabian 4, Aquino 4, Balucanag 3, Calisaan 3, Yong 2, Costelo 0.

Quarters: 31-13, 47-29, 61-59; 82-79