Altas buck Blazers torrid run

MANILA, Philippines - Perpetual Help weathered St. Benilde’s searing charge at endgame and pounded out a 68-64 victory to stay in the hunt for a Top 2 finish in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan last night.

Juneric Baloria came through with a crucial steal in the closing seconds then sank two pressure-packed charities, giving the Altas a three-point cushion at 67-64 en route to the victory, their ninth win against three losses.

That kept the Altas just half-a-game behind joint leaders Letran and San Beda, which tote identical 9-2 cards.

The Blazers battled back from nine points down in the last two minutes to force a tie at 64. But St. Benilde’s Scottie Thompson fouled Perpetual’s Jose Alfonso Saavedra, who made a split, and the Blazers turned the ball over, leading to Baloria’s charities.

St. Benilde slid to 5-7.

Earlier, John Pinto hit a miraculous shot in the closing seconds as Arellano U rallied from five points down in the final minute to edge Lyceum, 76-75, and revive its flickering Final Four hopes.Down by a point with 14 seconds to go, the Chiefs gained possession and a crack at the win as Cameroonian wingman Aziz Mbomiko made an inbound violation. Still, the Chiefs couldn’t launch a decent shot in a frenetic endgame until Pinto took a pass and launched a jumper just inside the arc that bounced high before going in.

Lyceum still had 1.7 seconds to steal the game but Shane Ko’s desperation heave from way out hit only the board as time expired.

“Miracles do happen,” said Arellano U coach Koy Banal.

The Chiefs thus clinched their fourth win against eight losses, tying their victim and keeping them in the hunt for the last Final Four berth.

Big man Prince Caperal came through with a career game of 25 points and 16 rebounds while Pinto, a 22-year-old sophomore from Davao City, chipped in 15 points.

Pinto shone the brightest in the closing minute when he scored four points he capped with that game-winner.

Ko earlier buried a triple that gave the Pirates a 75-70 cushion but Pinto countered with a long jumper, Kieth Agovido scored on a reverse layup before Pinto capped Arellano’s stirring come-from-behind win in the closing seconds.

Mbomiko led Lyceum with 17 points but turned from hero to goat following a traveling infraction in their inbound play.