Altas keep rolling, pip Lions in 3OT

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta won its fourth straight game in spectacular fashion, carving an 88-85 triple-overtime victory over San Beda University in Season 101 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

Patrick Sleat fired 23 points, six rebounds and four assists while Mark Gojo Cruz chipped in 20 markers for the Altas, who have won eight of their nine games in the preliminaries while redeeming themselves from a painful triple-overtime loss to Letran College, 73-82, last year.

“I lost my voice screaming the whole game but I’m just proud with the way we fought today,” Perpetual head coach Olsen Racela said.

“We were up in the second quarter then they came back and made it close until the end. (Janti) Miller was too good but to beat a really great program like San Beda is really an achievement for our school, for our team.”

The Altas found themselves holding a slim 82-81 lead with 2:31 left in the third overtime period. Gojo Cruz buried a big triple with 2:16 left on the clock to give Perpetual an 85-81 lead.

Miller responded with a floater to push the Red Lions closer but JP Boral knocked down a three-pointer to help Perpetual to pull away, 88-83, with less than a minute to go.

Miller nailed another jumper to put the Red Lions to within three, 85-88, but that would be their last basket as they sank to a 6-2 win-loss record in Group B.

John Abis backed up Sleat and Gojo Cruz with a double-double performance of 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Altas, who are in solid position to win their first ever NCAA crown.

In the first game, San Sebastian College pulled off a major upset, stunning Letran, 82-81, following a big basket from Jhuniel dela Rama.

Aside from getting over the hump of a five-game losing slump, the Stags also halted the Knights’ red-hot five-game win streak. San Sebastian now fashions a 2-7 win-loss card.