Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Perpetual Help Altas pulled away late to beat the Lyceum Pirates, 70-61, and open their National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) campaign at the San Juan Arena Tuesday (June 30).
Reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Scottie Thompson had a double-double game of 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Altas. He also dished out four assists.
Thompson, who averaged a near-triple double in the previous season, munched a pair of shots from the free throw line with 1:46 to go to give Perpetual a 64-57 edge.
Lyceum’s Shaq Alanes answered back with a corner triple and a split from the foul line as the Pirates closed in, 64-61.
But that’s the last time they would score a field goal.
Perpetual nailed four more free throws to seal the win.
Meanwhile, the Letran Knights also bagged the win Tuesday.
The Knights got off to a scintillating start and kept the Benilde Blazers at bay the rest of the way, 82-53.
The Blazers have struggled in their first NCAA game without stars Paolo Taha and Mark Romero, while Letran went full throttle with the return of Kevin Racal.
