MANILA (UPDATED) -- Jose Rizal University stretched its winning streak to three games after a 71-65 triumph over Perpetual Help in the NCAA Season 99 tournament, Saturday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Heavy Bombers, who are hosting this year's season, improved to 4-1. They are currently in second place in the league standings, behind unbeaten Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Shawn Argente paced JRU with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Joshua Guiab added 12 points in just 21 minutes.

"We played as a team, and we were not too reliant on Agem [Miranda] to score," said JRU coach Louie Gonzales, whose star in Miranda was limited to six points.

The Heavy Bombers pulled away late in the first period for a 20-14 gap, an advantage that they maintained the rest of the way. They limited the Altas to 30.9% shooting from the field, with Perpetual Help making just four of 28 attempts from long distance.

The Altas surged ahead briefly, 57-56, midway through the final period but the Heavy Bombers responded with an 8-0 scoring burst to regain the advantage.

Marcus Nitura top-scored for the Altas with 19 points, though he also accounted for five of their 18 turnovers in the game.

The Altas dropped to 1-3.

The scores:

JRU 71 -- Argente 17, Guiab 12, Dionisio 8, Medina 8, Sarmiento 7, de Leon 6, Miranda 6, delos Santos 5, Pabico 2, Ramos 0, Arenal 0, Sy 0, Mosqueda 0, Barrera 0

UPHSD 65 -- Nitura 19, Razon 14, Pagaran 12, Roque 11, Ferreras 8, Boral 1, Omega 0, Barcuma 0, Orgo 0, Geisano 0, Abis 0, Cuevas 0

Quarterscores: 20-14; 40-35; 52-49; 71-65