Pacesetting Altas want Cards next

Slowly but surely, the opposition is starting to feel how improved University of Perpetual Help of Rizal is.

Three days after shocking three-peat seeking San Sebastian, the Altas go for another one as they take on the dangerous Mapua Cardinals today in the 79th NCAA basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Last Friday’s 72-65 victory over the defending champion put UPHR on top with a pristine 2-0 slate and another victory over Mapua, which dropped its previous game to Jose Rizal, 77-91, at 4:45 p.m. would preserve its grip of the lead.

Inspirational leader Marcel Cuenco, a soft-spoken 22-year-old native of Guagua, Pampanga, is expected to carry the Altas on his shoulders anew against the Horacio Lim-mentored Cardinals, whose main weapon is their leader Jeff Martin.

The 6’3" Cuenco has started to make a habit of saving his team with a pair of heroic efforts.

In a 76-69 opening day victory over last year‚s runner-up St. Benilde, Cuenco stepped up in the stretch with five clutch foul shots before taking charge in his team‚s king-sized triumph over San Sebastian with a monster 22-point, 13-rebound effort.

And UPHR coach Bai Cristobal knows his team‚s campaign hinges on how his leaders provide inspiration and strength for his younger players.

„I definitely need someone who can provide leadership on the floor because this is a very young team,‰ said Cristobal. „Marcel is that leader because he‚s been keeping the team together in tough situations.‰

Mapua, for its part, is hoping skipper Martin can get his acts together in a bid to come out of a heavy six-team group at second place with identical 1-1 records.

With Martin, who slowly but surely starting to shed off some weight, playing steady, the Cardinals walloped the Letran Knights, 66-58. But when he is off, Mapua was just simply lost as evidenced in its game versus the Jose Rizal where they blew a 15-point a lead.

In the other game, the San Beda Red Lions and the Heavy Bombers, bunched with the Cardinals, the Stags, the Knights and the Philippine Christian University Dolphins at No. 2, clash at 1:15 p.m.