By Joey Villar
UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) launched its championship bid with a bang as it routed Jose Rizal University (JRU), 77-56, on Tuesday to seize a share of the lead in the 97th NCAA basketball tournament at the La Salle Greenhills Gym in Mandaluyong.
Kim Aurin, Jeff Egan and Jielo Razon, half of the six remnants from the team that last played three years ago, took turns in delivering the decisive blows and finished with 20, 14 and 13 points, respectively, to lift the Altas to their first win.
It also catapulted the Las Pinas-based squad straight into a five-way logjam at the helm alongside defending champion Letran, powerhouse San Beda, Mapua and Arellano University.
“We’re happy with the win and we’re hoping to improve even more,” said UPHSD coach Mike Saguiguit.
The Altas went on an early tear and erected a 26-9 lead that ballooned to 43-25 at the half, thanks to the Aurin-Egan-Razon troika.
The bad start somehow took the fight out of the dispirited Bombers, who got buried even more under the avalanche of the relentless Altas attack and trailed, 38-64, and were never the same.
Mr. Saguiguit later admitted he was pleasantly surprised with their strong start.
“I really didn’t expect it to have this kind of great result. Maybe it was because of the excitement that the boys felt after two years of not playing a single game,” said Mr. Saguiguit.
“This was their chance, that’s probably the reason they played well,” he added.
JM Delos Santos paced the Bombers with 17 points, six rebounds and four steals while rookie Jason Celis added 11 markers.
THE SCORES
UPHSD 77 – Aurin 20, Egan 14, Razon 13, Abis 6, Pagaran 5, Omega 4, Nunez 3, Cuevas 2, Sevilla 2, Barcuma 2, Boral 2, Martel 2, Movida 2, Kawamura 0, Ferreras 0.
JRU 56 – Delos Santos 17, Celis 11, Bongay 8, Agbong 7, Arenal 7, Estrella 3, Dionisio 2, Jungco 1, Macatangay 0, Aguilar 0, Guiab 0, dela Rama 0, Gonzales 0.