Unbeaten Altas, Chiefs dispute Premier Cup lead

Perpetual Help and Arellano University stake their unbeaten slates as they collide today for the solo lead in the Filoil Flying V Premier Cup at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Altas and the Chiefs swept their first three games and both are keen on keeping their win run going, guaranteeing a slambang action in the 5 p.m. main game.

Gab Daganon and the power-playing Nigerian duo of Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze are again expected to lead the charge for the Las Piñas-based squad but Perpetual Help interim coach Nosa Omorogbe stressed the need for the rest of the team to step up.

“We need more players to step up consistently, not just two or three players,” said Omorogbe.

For Arellano mentor Jerry Codiñera, their match against the Altas will be an acid test for his squad priming up for the NCAA wars.

“I think this will be a test of how we are as a team,” said Codiñera, whose wards routed the St. Benilde Blazers, 81-65, last Wednesday to gain a share of the lead.

They pulled off that win sans top player Jio Jalalon who sustained a cut on his left eyebrow due to an accidental elbow from Blazers’ Cameroonian import Clement Lentcheu late in the opening quarter.

But Donald Gumaru, Michael Kent Salado and Brylle Meca stepped up to more than fill up the void left by the Chiefs’ top gun.

“The team showed character in that game but we need to do it on a consistent basis,” said Codiñera.

Jalalon, however, will suit up against the Altas with Daganon tipped to sustain his good form after norming a team-high 16.6 points and 5.3 rebounds in the first three games.

“We need to contain him,” said Codiñera of Daganon.

In other matches, Emilio Aguinaldo (0-2) clashes with San Sebastian (1-2) at 1:30 p.m. and Adamson (0-2) faces off with Lyceum of the Phl U (1-2) at 3:15 p.m.