University of Perpetual Help System Dalta gets a second wind after a wobbly start as it keeps pace in the hunt for a National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 99 seniors’ basketball tournament Final Four seat.
The Altas have Cyrus Nitura to thank for after his heroics in their last four games.
Nitura flashed his all-around performance in the week that passed, steering Perpetual to a string of big wins over Lyceum of the Philippines University and San Beda University as well as also-ran Arellano University.
After leading Perpetual to a perfect run in the past week, the sophomore was hands down chosen as Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week in the 7 to 12 November period.
The 6-foot-4 forward logged an average of 11.67 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.67 assists, and 3.0 steals to lead the Altas to a three-game win streak last week.
Nitura edged out teammates Jun Roque and Mark Omega as well as College of Saint Benilde’s Will Gozum and Mapua University’s Clint Escamis for the weekly honors presented by San Miguel Corporation and backed by minor sponsors Discovery Suites and Jockey.
Nitura’s string of solid performances extended Perpetual’s winning run to four games for an 8-7 record, and more importantly, it kept the Las Piñas-based squad’s Final Four chances alive with still three games to play in the elimination round.
Nitura started his charge against the Chiefs with 13 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals in an 81-74 win on 7 November before he collected four markers, eight boards, four dimes, a steal and one block to help Perpetual stun the Red Lions, 61-57.
Then he capped it all off with another impressive stat line on Sunday, flirting with a triple-double of 18 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and one block as the Altas drowned the Pirates behind the game-winning triple from Mark Denver Omega.
Nitura, though, doesn’t mind what the stat sheet says. For him, it’s about doing his best effort to help Perpetual return to the Final Four after missing out last season.
“I didn’t even notice that I was nearing a triple-double. All I did was do my job,” he said.
Perpetual head coach Myk Saguiguit, meanwhile, expressed gratitude about the fact that the team is already living up to the billing as the dark horse of the season.
