The longest active winning streak in the NCAA has been snapped.
In an unexpected turn of events, the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags put an emphatic end to the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas’ six game winning streak, 71-55, while in the process snapping its own nine-game losing streak Friday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Alvin Capobres, who was turning 22 years old today, led the inspired San Sebastian effort with 13 points and five rebounds. Three other Stags scored in double-digits in the game.
“Sobrang special nito at sa birthday ko pa natapos yung losing streak namin,” Capobres shared.
After gaining a 26-20 lead in the opening period, San Sebastian shackled the lackadaisical Altas, limiting Perpetual to just 17 points in the middle quarters for a surprising 51-37 lead entering the final frame.
“The boys played well played good defense,” San Sebastian head coach Egay Maracaya said. “It’s all about the defense and the rebounds kaya nanalo kami.”
Even without a foreign reinforcement, the Stags outrebounded their foreign student-athlete bannered opponents, 51 to 41 for a 13 to 2 second chance points advantage.
“Nag focus talaga kami sa gang rebounding,” Jerick Fabian, who scored 10 points and grabbed nine rebounds, added.
Careless turnovers by the Altas, coming from the duo of Daryl Singontiko and Gab Dagangon, compounded the Altas problem in the final frame as the lead grew to a game-high 20 points, 57-37, early in the quarter after an Ian Valdez triple.
Buckets by Keith Pido and Jack Hao dropped the lead to 16 but the Altas could not string together points leading to a San Sebastian romp.
“Every game is a learning experience sa team kasi bago ito,” Macaraya closed. “All I want is maka-focus kami in all of the games because we need to know how to win dahil natatalo kami sa fourth quarter.”
Bright Akhuetie was the sole bright spot for Perpetual, scoring 21 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, 11-of-14 from the stripe, to go-along with nine rebounds.
The Altas had a combined 20 turnovers, nine coming from Dagangon and Singontiko, that led to 13 points off of it.
The San Sebastian Stags (2-9) look to sustain the momentum it gained on Tuesday, August 23, facing the San Beda Red Lions. On the other hand, the Perpetual Altas (8-3) face the Saint Benilde Blazers on Thursday, August 25 at 2:00pm.
The Scores:
SSC-R (71) – Capobres 13, Bulanadi 11, Ilagan 11, Fabian 10, Calisaan 9, Valdez 6, Baetiong 5, Sera Josef 4, David 2, Mercado 0, Calma 0, Johnson 0
UPHSD (55) – Akhuetie 21, Hao 9, Pido 6, Coronel 6, Dagangon 4, Ylagan 4, Eze 4, Sadiwa 1, Dizon 0, Singontiko 0
Quarterscores: 26-20, 41-28, 51-37, 71-55
