By REYNALD MAGALLON
Rommel Calahat and JM Calma delivered the big baskets down the stretch as San Sebastian frustrated University of Perpetual Help, 63-58, for its first win in the NCAA Season 97 yesterday at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.
Calahat and Calma conspired in a furious rally in the final minutes that enabled the Stags to bounce back from a 65-63 sorry loss to Arellano.
Calahat unloaded 17 points and eight rebounds while Calma added 14, none bigger than the booming triple that gave the Stags the lead for good, 57-55 with 2:31 left in the game.
A telling 9-0 run through the efforts of Calma, Calahat and Kenneth Villapando proved to be the game changer for Stags who trailed the Altas for most of the game behind the hot shooting of Jielo Razon.
Razon exploded for 22 points spiked by an efficient 6-of-12 clip from the arc but was the lone bright spot for the Altas as no other player reached double figures in scoring.
“I always said that this team is a very good defensive team and they proved it right now ‘yung mga scores nila and yung pag accept nila sa responsibility bonus na sa akin,” head coach Egay Macaraya said of his Stags who limited Perpetual’s top performer Kim Aurin to just seven points after exploding for 20 in the first game.
The veteran tactician was also elated to see his players step up in crunch time especially after the departure of their tried-and-tested closers in Allyn Bulanadi and RK Ilagan in Season 95.
San Sebastian now caught Perpetual in the standings with an identical 1-1 record.
The scores:
SSC-R 63 ˗ Calahat 17, Calma 14, Altamirano 12, Villapando 6, Sumoda 5, Una 4, Desoyo 2, Abarquez 2, Are 1, Loristo 0, Re. Gabat 0, Felebrico 0, Cosari 0.
Perpetual 58 ˗ Razon 22, Aurin 7, Abis 7, Barcuma 6, Egan 4, Omega 4, Ferreras 4, Martel 2, Sevilla 2, Nunez 0, Cuevas 0, Pagaran 0.
Quarters: 6-8, 23-28, 44-47, 63-58
