University of Perpetual Help kept its hold of the solo lead with a 69-60 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College at San Juan Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
John Abis sparked a telling 9-0 windup to break a 60-all count and nailed their 6th win in 7 games in Group A.
Abis finished two rebounds shy of a double-double with 15 points and eight rebounds. Mark Gojo Cruz and JP Boral combined for 22 points in the win that delighted coach Olsen Racela.
“Kailangan namin ng puhunan talaga, e,” coach Olsen Racela said. “Kailangan din namin mag-ingat sa complacency lalu na’t may mga kalaban kami na mabibigat na teams. As long as we stick to our system, especially on the defensive end, we’ll be okay.”
The win was a fitting sequel to their 71-65 win over Jose Rizal University on Saturday while also putting a stop to the Generals’ two-game win streak.
In the other game, College of St, Benilde drubbed the rebuilding San Sebastian College side, 82-64.
The Altas led by three with 5:12 left in the fourth quarter, 60-57, before EAC’s Wilmar Oftana launched a long bomb to tie the game at 60-all, with 2:54 to go.
After ending the first quarter with a five-point advantage, 19-14, the Blazers shifted to high gear in the second quarter to send the Golden Stags packing with a 1-6 record in Group A.
Benilde opened the second frame with a 17-7 run which ultimately gave San Sebastian an insurmountable 36-21 advantage that it never got to recover from. By the time the intermission came around, the Blazers held a commanding 42-24 lead.
Benilde improved to 4-2 in the Group B standings with a chokehold on the second seed just below San Beda (4-1) and above Letran (4-3), much thanks to the returning Allen Liwag.
Liwag, who was under the weather with Dengue for a number of game days, returned with a bang, finishing with 19 points and seven rebounds. Justine Sanchez had himself a double-double in the dub with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Jhuniel Dela Rama had another dominant game in the paint with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds but to no avail as the Golden Stags crash to the fifth seed of Group A.
