NIGERIAN behemoth Bright Akhuetie came through with a monster performance as Perpetual Help pulled off a shock 61-55 win over defending champion Letran Friday to boost its stock in the 92nd NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
Akhuetie, 19, bulldozed his way to game-bests 21 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks to propel the Altas to the upper half of the standings with a 3-2 record, while erasing the stigma of a stinging 70-88 defeat to the San Beda Lions Tuesday.
“My job is to play. When I go in there, I try my best. It’s basketball, everyone should get chances,” said Akhuetie, who bounced back from last game’s fourth benching when he finished with just 13 points.
For Perpetual Help coach Gimwell Gican, it was defense that sealed it.
“The players worked hard on defense, they really focused on defense after our loss to San Beda,” said Gican.
Truly, the Altas held down the Knights to their season-worst scoring output after the latter came into this game averaging 79.2 points.
Perpetual Help also forced Letran to turn the ball over 22 times, its season’s worst after norming just 16 errors in its first five games.
The Las Pinas-based school also found a way to slow down Rey Nambatac, who muffed eight of his 14 shots and wound up with just 19 after he unleashed a career-best 40 points in a 90-77 win over San Sebastian last week.
“We were alarmed that Nambatac scored 40 points, that’s why focused on making life more difficult for him,” said Gican.
Gican hopes the big win could be a start of something big for his team.
“It’s a good sign for us, it gave us a chance for a Final Four slot and that’s what we’re really aiming for,” he said.
The Knights fell to their second defeat and saw their four-game streaked snapped with this heartbreaking defeat.
In the second game, Mapua drew strength from Allwell Oraeme’s 13 points, 22 rebounds and five blocks as it routed San Sebastian, 88-75, to nail its fifth win against a defeat.
The Stags fell to 1-4.
The scores:
First Game (Srs)
Perpetual Help 61- Akhuetie 21, Dagangon 14, Coronel 13, Pido 7, Dizon 2, Singontiko 2, Eze 2, Hao 0, Oliveria 0, Sadiwa 0, Yuhico 0
Letran 55- Nambatac 19, Calvo 12, Apreku 6, Sollano 6, Quinto 6, Pambid 4, dela Pena 2, Luib 0, Ambohot 0, Bernabe 0, Balanza 0, Balagasay 0, Sario 0, Ular 0
Quarterscores: 6-9; 27-26; 46-44; 61-55;
Second Game (srs)
Mapua 88- Biteng 19, Menina 15, Estrella 14, Oraeme 13, Eriobue 12, Isit 7, Serrano 6, Orquina 2, Aguirre 0, Bunag 0, Victoria 0
San Sebastian 75- Mercado 18, Ilagan 17, Calisaan 9, Quipse 7, Capobres 6, Valdez 6, Fabian 5, Johnson 5, Bulanadi 2, Baetiong 0, David 0, Calma 0
Quarterscores: 20-all; 51-42; 64-53; 88-75
Games Monday
(The Arena, San Juan)
9 a.m.- Letran vs Perpetual (jrs)
10:45 a.m.- San Sebastian vs San Beda (jrs)
12:30 p.m.- St. Benilde vs Jose Rizal (jrs)
2:15 p.m.- EAC vs Mapua (jrs)
4 p.m.- LPU vs Arellano U (jrs)