Mapua University ran like a well-oiled machine early but needed to avert a collapse late en route to a 95-83 victory against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA in the NCAA Season 97 on Wednesday.
The win pushed Mapua's card to 4-2 following two consecutive losses against Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Arellano University.
Perpetual, meanwhile, dropped to 2-4.
Toby Agustin led Mapua with 24 points built around 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range to go alongside five rebounds, two assists, and one block while Brian Lacap chipped in 19 markers, six boards, and five dimes.
The Cardinals punished the Altas from the outside early, knocking down 11 buckets from the rainbow country in the first half alone. Agustin led their offense with his 13 points on three triples.
Mapua erected a 54-28 cushion at the break and that lead ballooned to its biggest at 28 after Agustin drained another trey to open the third frame, 56-28.
After a woeful showing in first two quarters, Perpetual was able to retaliate in the third period with a 16-11 run but the Altas still trailed, 67-46, with veteran Jielo Razon showing the way.
That deficit was trimmed to just 17, 71-54, after Kim Aurin and Razon completed a pair of charities each. The third frame ended with Mapua still at front, 73-55.
Perpetual then chopped down its disadvantage to just 10, 83-73, as Jef Egan knocked down a triple with 4:18 left before a Chris Pagaran triple made it an 86-78 affair still in favor of Mapua.
The Altas continued to connect after that but they just couldn't find the stop as the Cardinals completed the win.
Mapua will try to make it back-to-back wins against De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on April 19 while Perpetual faces San Beda University the following day.
The scores:
MAPUA 95 — Agustin 24, Lacap 19, Nocum 13, Bonifacio 13, Hernandez 9, Asuncion 9, Pido 5, Garcia 3, Gamboa 0, Mercado 0.
PERPETUAL 83 — Razon 24, Egan 18, Pagaran 17, Aurin 12, Boral 4, Barcuma 4, Omega 2, Abis 2, Sevilla 0, Cuevas 0, Martel 0, Nunez 0.
Quarters: 26-13, 54-28, 73-55, 95-83
