League-leading De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde picked up where it left off, demolishing the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 78-51, to remain unblemished in the NCAA Season 100 on Wednesday.
"Very big for us [to get an early separation]. Our goal naman is to compete every game and sana maging number one kami sa end ng elimination," Tiu said.
"Sa NCAA any team can upset one another. You've seen it, 'yung San Beda natalo rin, so it's important that we get some separation kasi in the end, I guess, 'yung mga usual suspects din ang mage-end up there."
For the second straight game, transferee Justin Sanchez dropped crucial numbers after pouring in 13 points, eight rebounds, and a steal while Tony Ynot chipped in 12 markers, eight boards, and two assists as the Blazers sent the young ALTAs reeling to their second loss in a row after a 2-0 start.
The Blazers, eager to make up for a series of heartbreaks the past years, immediately pound on the ALTAs with a 50-29 halftime cushion with Ynot and Sanchez each dropping 10 of their outputs.
The ALTAs found no response since then despite a double-double effort from rookie Mark Gojo Cruz, who posted 11 points and 10 rebounds together with two assists, two blocks, and one steal.
The win also allowed the Taft crew to have its best season start since Tiu was tapped to call the shots back in late 2021. In his NCAA coaching debut in Season 97, Benilde kicked off its campaign with a loss to eventual champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran before winning the next four games for a 1-4 start.
Then in Season 98, they went 3-0 but lost to Letran anew the next game to see their record get blemished. The following season, Benilde struggled early with a 1-3 start.
Benilde will look to make it a 5-0 when it takes on Letran on Sunday while Perpetual will hope to end its slump on Saturday against Emilio Aguinaldo College.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
