Altas shatter Knights streak

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help used one big scoring spurt in the opening period and went on to stop erstwhile unbeaten Letran, 80-76, and firm up its hold of the third spot in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan yesterday.

Juneric Baloria, a rookie out of Lanao del Norte, exploded for 28 points while Nigerian Nosa Omorogbe erupted for 25 markers as the Altas dominated the Knights from start to finish to post their sixth win against two losses.

Letran, which strung up seven straight wins before the two-week break to give way to the staging of the FIBA-Asia Championship, settled for a share of the lead with a surging San Beda side.

“When we lost to San Beda just before the NCAA took a break, we talked about it and discussed the issue of starting out strong,” said Perpetual Help coach Aric del Rosario in Filipino.

Start strong the Altas did with Baloria and Omorogbe taking charge for the Las Piñas-based squad, which poured in 31 points while holding the Knights to a low nine-point output with their smothering defense.

They kept a 21-point bulge at the turn (49-28) and took a 69-49 lead into the fourth that proved to be too big for the Knights to overcome.

Baloria, 23, came five points away from matching his career best 33-point performance in a 77-78 overtime setback to the San Sebastian Stags last July 8. He remains the league leader in scoring and paces the race for MVP honors.

“He has the ability to make those big shots,” said Perpetual coach Aric del Rosario, who steered the Altas to the Final Four last year and hopefully to the championship this year.

Raymond Almazan and Kevin Racal paced the Knights with 15 and 10 points, respectively, but failed to draw the usual numbers from playmaker Mark Cruz, who was shackled to just six points after firing 23 markers in an 87-68 rout of Mapua last July 29.

In the nightcap, Jose Rizal U leaned on John Pontejos and Michael Mabulac as it downed Lyceum, 61-49, to remain in fourth.

Pontejos fired 16 points while Mabulac scattered 14 markers as the Bombers built double-digit spreads in the second half on their way to their second straight victory and fifth overall against three defeats.

The Pirates fell to 2-6.