Altas gun for share of NCAA lead against Chiefs

Games on Friday
(Filoil EcoOil Arena)
12 p.m. – JRU vs Letran
2:30 p.m. – UPHSD vs AU

UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help eyes a share of the lead with College of St. Benilde and San Sebastian College-Recoletos as it tackles Arellano University on Friday.

Brandishing a new coach in Olsen Racela and a heavily tweaked starting five, the Altas still came through with an 82-66 victory over the rough-playing Jose Rizal University Bombers Tuesday.

Mark Gojo Cruz, straight out of high school at UPHSD, flourished on his seniors’ debut with an all-around game of 15 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Las Piñas-based dribblers’ morale-boosting first win.

While Mr. Racela was satisfied, he still thinks everything will be part of the learning curve.

“We’re learning, adjusting with each other. It will be a long process,” said the former PBA star.

The Chiefs, for their part, shoot for their first win and bounce back from a heartbreaking 87-80 defeat at the hands of the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals on Sunday.

Game time is at 2:30 p.m.

Also eyeing their first victory are Jose Rizal University (0-1) and San Juan de Letran University (0-1), which collide at 12 p.m.

The all-bald Knights, now coached by Allen Ricardo, have also dropped their first outing — a stinging 91-84 defeat to the overachieving Stags Sunday. — Joey Villar