Jeff Egan wasted no time asserting his dominance as he steered University of Perpetual Help System DALTA to an 87-70 victory over the skidding Arellano University in NCAA Season 97 on Wednesday.
The veteran Egan started it all out for the Altas, carving out 17 points in the first half alone as they erected a huge 43-27 advantage at the break.
He finished with a career-high 26 points alongside four rebounds and two assists as Perpetual improved to 2-2 to end a two-game losing skid.
Jielo Razon added 14 points while Kim Aurin and Rey Barcuma both reached double figures in scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Arellano, meanwhile, dropped to 1-3 behind three-straight defeats.
The Chiefs were again led by Justin Arana, who posted another double-double with 14 points and 12 boards but left the game late in the fourth quarter nursing his knee.
Arellano was able to trim their deficit to just 14 in the third canto, 31-45, but the Myk Saguiguit-mentored Perpetual made it a 20-point game, 57-37, after a basket by Egan.
Arellano could only cut their deficit by one as the third period ended with Perpetual holding a 66-47 cushion.
The hot-shooting Egan continued making it rain from downtown, nailing a triple that stretched their lead to 26, 79-53, before an Aurin bucket made it 81-53.
Arellano made some last-gasp runs with Kobe Caballero fueling a 13-0 run that inched them closer, 81-66, but Perpetual held on en route to its second win of the season.
Perpetual will look to make it back-to-back wins when it faces College of Saint Benilde on Saturday while Arellano will face Mapua University on Sunday.
The scores:
Perpetual 87 — Egan 26, Razon 14, Aurin 11, Barcuma 10, Omega 6, Martel 6, Pagaran 4, Cuevas 3, Kawamura 3, Sevilla 2, Nunez 2, Abis 0, Boral 0, Movida 0.
Arellano 70 — Arana 14, Cruz 12, Doromal 12, Caballero 12, Sta. Ana 7, Concepcion 4, Oliva 2, Abastillas 2, Steinl 2, Carandang 2, Sablan 1, Uri 0, Valencia 0.
Quarters: 20-17, 43-27, 66-47, 87-70.
—JMB, GMA News
