Playing complacent and individualistic, the Stags couldn’t get their offensive rhythm going as they muffed 41 of their 68 shots while bungling 18 of their 32 free throw attempts to give the Altas a lot of opportunities.
Thankfully, San Sebastian’s championship caliber defense took over.
“We’re hurrying our shots, everybody wants to shoot and no one is passing the ball around and we’re missing a lot of free throws,” said San Sebastian coach Ato Agustin, a deadly free-throw shooter during his PBA days.
“If not for our defense, we might have lost this one,” he added.
Perpetual Help, led by Jet Vidal’s 14 points, had all the chances to snatch the win but couldn’t cash in on its opportunities and absorbed its second consecutive setback.
The Altas, in fact, were on their way to a monumental upset after Goerge Allen, one of the transferees from Philippine Christian U, nailed a booming triple to give his team a 61-53 lead early in the final period.
And then the Stags wielded their defense like a magic wand and quashed whatever fight left in the Boris Aldeguer-mentored Las Pinas-based cagers.
In juniors’ action, reigning titlist San Beda downed EAC, 85-60, and San Sebastian edged Perpetual Help, 74-69, to seize a share of the lead with two wins apiece.
Von Chavez had 18 points and seven boards while Baser Amer had a superb all-around effort with 10 points, 15 caroms, eight steals and six assists to power the Cubs to their second win in a row.
The athletic Gino Jumao-as, for his part, paced the Staglets with 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to seal it.
In the other game, San Beda overpowered Emilio Aguinaldo College, 97-55, to likewise roll to its second straight win.
American behemoth Sudan Daniel unleashed a monster effort with 18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocks while Rome dela Rosa had 18 points and Borgie Hermida 17 points, six assists, four boards and three steals to power the Lions to the win.
It was the Generals' second straight defeat.
The scores:
First Game (Jrs)
SSC-R (74) – Jumao-as 26, Macasaet 12, Magno 12, Pante 9, Vergara 7, Vitug 4, Leyva 2, Sapalo 2, Balid 0, Gianan 0, Soriano 0, Velasco 0.
UPHSD (69) – Brito 19, Inigo 15, Sadiwa 15, Pascual 6, Diaz 5, Bitoy 4, Garcia 3, Negranza 2, Bitoon 0, Palisoc 0.
QS: 20-12; 38-34; 57-50; 74-69
Second Game (Jrs)
SBC (85) – Chavez 18, Nazareno Da. 16, Amer 10, Abatayo 10, Gotladera 8, Colmenar 6, Abarcar 5, Javier 4, Malapitan 4, Nazareno Do. 2, Babilonia 2, Bonsubre 0, Manalo 0.
EAC (60) – Menguito 19, Mendoza 16, Cuello 7, Booc 6, Caparida 4, Onwuebre 4, Superable 4, Elorde 0, Mayone 0, Magtaas 0, Padrones 0, Sale 0.
QS: 30-14; 49-33; 67-45; 85-60
Third Game (Srs)
San Sebastian 73- Pascual 17, Raymundo 15, Abueva 13, del Rio 9, Sangalang 6, Maconocido 5, Gorospe 3, Semira 3, Bulawan 2, Gatchalian 0
Perpetual Help 69- Vidal 14, Sumera 13, Danganan 10, Allen 9, Ynion 8, Alano 6, Elopre 6, Arboleda 3, Kintanar 0
Quarterscores: 16-15; 30-34; 51-58; 73-69
Fourth Game (srs)
San Beda 97- Daniel 18, dela Rosa 18, Hermida 17, J. Pascual 11, K. Pascual 9, Mendoza 9, Marcelo 4, Lanete 3, Caram 2, D. Semerad 2, Lim 2, A. Semerad 2, Sorela 0, Moralde 0
EAC 55- Cubo 16, Santos 11, Mendoza 10, R. Yaya 7, Vargas 4, Tuazon 3, Lapitan 2, Jamon 2, L. Yaya 0, Monteclaro 0, Diolanto 0, Chiong 0, Villegas 0, Lim 0
Quarterscores: 19-18; 48-25; 78-36; 97-55
