9 July 2019
By Maxine Louise Lagman
Without their big man Prince Eze, who graduated as the most valuable player last season, Edgar Charcos is given the responsibility to step up as a veteran and lead his team – and so he did.
Denied of a lead all throughout the game, Charcos surged through their opponents and took charge late in the fourth to nab an 80-78 victory over Mapua University in their debut game at the NCAA Season 95 men’s basketball tournament, Tuesday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
“It’s a show of character para sa amin. I felt na Mapua is stronger than us, pero it was just guts,” Altas coach Frankie Lim said in a post-match interview.
Charcos took on a personal 8-0 run that removed the Altas from a 69-all tie, giving his team a 77-69 cushion with only 4:10 remaining in the game.
Though shaken from their foundation, the Cardinals kept scoring baskets to keep close with Laurenz Victoria’s triple keeping them close, 78-79, 8.2 seconds left.
A foul was called on Mapua that led Charcos to the freethrow line, and eventually putting in 1-of-2 baskets that sealed the deal for Perpetual.
Charcos came at the most crucial time of the game, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the fourth period, all the while nabbing eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
Meanwhile, Tonton Peralta topped the scoring board with 20 points. Jielo Razon added 10 markers, four boards, and two assists. Coach Lim also commended Ben Adamos, who shone with eight points, and 10 rebounds.
Warren Bonifacio led the Cardinals with 15 points and nine boards, while Cyril Gonzales added 14 markers, five assists, five steals, and three rebounds, under their new head coach Randy Alcantara.
The Scores:
PERPETUAL 80 – Peralta 20, Charcos 16, Razon 10, Egan 9, Aurin 9, Adamos 8, Giussani 2, Lanoy 2, Cuevas 2, Barasi 2, Lucero 0, Martel 0
MAPUA 78 – Bonifacio 15, Gonzales 14, Garcia 9, Nieles 8, Victoria 6, Salenga 6, Serrano 5, Hernandez 4, Lugo 4, Bunag 3, Aguirre 2, Jabel 2, Gamboa 0, Dela Cruz 0
QUARTER SCORES: 21-22, 39-45, 64-63, 80-78
Follow the writer on Twitter: @meanxi
