PERPETUAL is back on track in the NCAA Season 101 after fending off Jose Rizal University in the closing minutes to get a 71-65 victory on Saturday at the Playtime Filoil Center in San Juan.
Days after losing its first game of the season against Letran, the Altas buckled down on defense in the crunchtime - getting crucial stops against the Heavy Bombers' main gunners in Shawn Argente and Sean Salvador to get the win and improve to a league best 5-1.
John Abis delivered a season-best performance of 17 points and seven rebounds to pick up the pieces after the gun-shy Patrick Sleat who only took two shots the entire game.
"I'm very pleased. We were concerned about their moral. their spirit coming into the game because we came from a loss but maganda yung mindset nila,"
"It's a tough JRU team. They're well-coached. They're very disciplined in running their system," he said. "That game against Letran prepared us for this game."
Perpetual opened the final quarter with two straight triples by Josiah Alcantara and JP Boral to give the Altas some breathing space after coming into the payoff period with a two-point lead.
It's a spread they nearly lost when Sanlea Peñaverde banked a three-pointer at the middle with under three minutes left to cut the Perpetual lead to just one, but that was the closest the Heavy Bombers got in the game.
The Altas finished the game on a 7-2 run, forcing four stops on JRU and sealing the game on LA Casinilio uncontested layup.
Abis was crucial in the final possessions, holding his own when the defense shifted to the perimeter as JRU hoped to continue to usurp the lead.
“That’s the beauty of the skills ni John. Pwede kayo magswitch and then si John can defend the point guard of another team,” Racela said of Abis.
Mark Gojo Cruz played second fiddle to Abis, chipping in 11 points and four rebounds.
Salvador led the charge for JRU with 18 points, five rebounds and four assists while Argente chipped in 14 in the loss which sent JRU to 3-3.
The Scores:
PERPETUAL 71 - Abis 17, Gojo Cruz 11, Boral 9, Alcantara 8, Casinilio 7, Orgo 5, sleat 4, Nunez 4, Gelsano 4, Maglupay 2, Pizzaro 0, Tulabut 0
JRU 65 - Salvador 18, Argente 14, Peñaverde 9, Garupil 8, Panapanaan 6, Laurenaria 5, Lozano 3, Benitez 2, Sarmiento 0, Jayson Castillo, Duque 0
Quarters: 12-18, 32-34, 54-50, 71-65
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