NCAA S87: UPHSD vs AU

History Lesson:
The Arellano Chiefs came out swinging in their first round encounter versus the Perpetual Help Altas, getting 24 points from point guard Rocky Acidre and 18 from Andrian Celada to overwhelm the Altas 86-67, as Arellano turned 21 turnovers by Perpetual Help into 27 turnover points. But the Altas turned the tables in the second round eking out a 66-61 victory, Jeorge Allen and Jett Vidal's 32 points was too much for the poor shooting Chiefs.

What's at Stake:

• The Altas (1-7) were close to racking up their second win against the Mapua Cardinals, but poor free throw shooting did them in late. The host school would ideally like to end the first round on a high note, and the Chiefs are a good match for them.
• The Chiefs (2-6) ambushed the CSB Blazers to create a deadlock in the middle, with three teams now at 3-5. A win by Arellano will pull them into a tie with the 3-6 Mapua Cardinals, the loser of CSB-EAC, and the JRU Heavy Bombers, should they fall to Letran. 

UPHSD Stat to Watch : The Altas shoot 24.16 percent from downtown, making 5.38 of 22.25 triples per game, second-worst in the league. Given the Chiefs' penchant for the zone, Perpetual Help will need to make a higher rate, or use good ball movement to get interior shots, if they want to put points on the board.
UPHSD Player to Watch : Harold Arboleda turned in his best performance of the season, contributing a double-double to the near-upset versus MIT. His double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. He's made at least one triple in each of the past five games, and has shown that he can pass as well (17 in the same period), so his versatility could really bail the team out against the zone.

AU Stat to Watch : In theory, guys like Prince Caperal, Gerald Lapuz and Andrian Celada should have the height and/or the hops to pull down more rebounds, but the zone defense holds them back, as the team gets just about 32.12 boards a game. In contrast, the undersized Altas pull down 40.5 rebounds, second-worst to AU by a lot. With Perpetual Help getting five more offensive rebounds a game, that could easily spell the difference between a victory and a loss.
AU Player to Watch : Gerald Lapuz leads the Chiefs in rebounds with just seven a game, and while he doesn't have the height, he has the strength to match up with Perpetual Help's bruisers like Jeorge Allen. The question is whether or not he'll be enough, given their inability to get rebounds thanks to their zone.

Prediction: Arellano Chiefs