Junior Altas slay Red Cubs to stay undefeated

Games Friday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
8 a.m. – Mapua vs Letran
10 a.m. – CSB vs San Beda
12 p.m. – LPU vs EAC
2:30 p.m. – UPHSD vs AU
4:30 p.m. – SSC-R vs JRU

MANILA, Philippines – University of Perpetual Help continued its hot pursuit of a breakthrough NCAA championship after it routed traditional powerhouse San Beda, 78-56, yesterday to stay unbeaten in Season 99 junior basketball at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Junior Altas relied on defense when their league-best offense went bonkers in seizing their four straight win and fortifying their share of the lead alongside the Mapua Red Robins, who posted win No. 4 with a 72-57 win over the Jose Rizal University Light Bombers.

It was the biggest win by UPHSD yet as it hurdled a San Beda team that owned a league-best 23 high school crowns and responsible for handing defending champion Letran’s first and only defeat of the season thus far.

Jan Pagulayan was at his attacking best by firing a team-high 19 points while Mark Gojo Cruz had 15 points and 12 rebounds and the high-leaping, slam-dunking Lebron Jhames Daep with 10 points, six caroms, three steals and a block.

While UPHSD’s defensive genius was incidental, Mapua has thrived on it from the start as it continued to own the league’s stingiest defense.

San Beda dropped to 2-2 while JRU 1-3.

The Junior Blazers, coached by Ren Ren Ritualo, turned back the Arellano University Braves, 85-81, for their first win after suffering three straight defeats to start the season.

The scores:

First Game
Mapua 72 – Mangubat 25, Salvador 9, Malaga 8, Mulingtapang 5, Gragasin 5, Masiglat 4, Palis 4, Mananquil 4, Rodriguez 2, Valina 2, Duque 2, Coronel 2, Bagro 0, Bernabe 0, Go 0

JRU 57 – Castillo 11, Satparam 10, Pineda 7, Marin 6, Taparan 5, Rivera 3, Guarino 3, To 3, Natividad 3, Abequibel 2, Almario 2, Capistrano 2, Ferrer 0, Pinzon 0, Rico 0
Quarterscores: 19-10; 37-29; 52-37; 72-57

Second Game
CSB 85 – Quines 22, Muyuela 16, Podador 10, Sharma 10, Ison 7, Osis 6, Gomez 5, Natividad 2, Abad 2, Nonoy 2, Peralta 0, Tud 0, Hachuela 0

AU 81 – Reqguera 23, Espinosa 18, Franco 11, Yu 9, Javier 9, Novilla 4, Montesclaros 4, Austria 3, Pangilinan 0, Tanudtanod, Llantos, Distrito, Vergara, Mendoza 0, Pascual 0
Quarterscores: 22-19; 39-37; 66-59; 85-81

Third Game
UPHSD-78 – Pagulayan 19, Gojo Cruz 15, Daep 10, Acido 9, Callangan 9, Ayon 6, Baldoria 4, Cristino 3, Valencia 2, Asuncion 1, Diaz 0, Panelo 0, Bernaldez 0

San Beda 56 – Vailoces 13, Lorenzo 10, Canete 9, Sollano 6, Medroso 5, Batong Bakal 4, Dollente 3, Wagan 3, Mondigo 2, San Juan 1, Feliciano 0, Garcia 0

Quarterscores: 18-16; 40-37; 60-50; 78-56