PERPETUAL Help showed poise when it mattered most and humbled San Sebastian College 60-52 yesterday to boost its inclusion in the top four of the 100th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The Altas continued to draw strength from their combination of youth and veterans in claiming their second straight victory and fourth overall against two defeats.

Veteran Christian Pagaran and Cedrick Abis fired 12 points apiece while rookie sensation Gojo Cruz chipped in 10 points.

The Stags lost their fourth straight against two wins.

“Maganda combination nina Gojo (Cruz) and Pags (Pagaran),” Perpetual coach Olsen Racela said.

“Your approach to the game should always be the same, kailangan gutom palagi,” he added.

In the other game, Lyceum blasted Mapua University 96-81 to barge into the magic four with a 3-2 mark. The Cardinals dropped to 3-2.

“Honestly, talagang I’m very very happy with the way my players did sa game. Talagang I give credit to them, itong panalo na ito na talagang they gave their all their best para sa win namin against Mapua,” Pirates tactician Gilbert Malabanan said.

Jeco Bancale paced the Cardinals with 14 points while Clint Escamis and Chris Hubilla had 13 markers apiece.

It was an impressive show of grit by the Altas as they weathered every fightback launched by the run-and-gun Stags.

So dominant was the Las Pinas-based quint it only trailed once early in the game before stamping its class the rest of the way, never giving the Golden Stags a chance to turn it around.

Guard Rafael Are scored 11 points for San Sebastian, which slipped to 2-4.