It was a total team effort for University of Perpetual Help System DALTA but Cyrus Nitura shone the brightest in their 81-74 win to eliminate Arellano University from contention in the NCAA Season 99 on Tuesday.
The sophomore sniper got his shots going early before the rest of the ALTAs took over late in the third with the likes of Angelo Gelsano, Christian Pagaran, and Jearico Nunez sparking off the bench.
Perpetual has now won back-to-back games to improve its standing to 6-7 and remain in hunt for a Final Four spot. The Chiefs, meanwhile, are now booted out with a 2-11 card.
A Barcuma triple sent the ALTAs to a 19-point cushion at 67-48 before the Chiefs managed to cut that to a 13-point deficit late in the fourth, 62-75, with the Jeadan Ongotan showing the way.
Team captain Jielo Razon, who was held to just two points in the first half, buried a jumper with 20 ticks left to seal the win.
Nitura stuffed the stat sheet with an all-around performance of 13 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals to bounce back from a lackluster outing last game while Pagaran led all scorers with 21 markers alongside five boards, two steals, and one block.
Big man Mark Omega chipped in 10 points, four rebounds, two steals, and one assist.
Perpetual will try to keep its playoff hopes alive when it takes on San Beda University on Friday.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
