D-LEAGUE: BREAD STORY, CEBUANA LHUILLIER STAY ALIVE
Talk about survival.
Bread Story-LPU and Cebuana Lhuillier kept their campaigns in the 2015 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup alive as they forced winner-take-all affairs against different opponents on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The Breadstory-LPU, the last squad to qualify to the quarterfinals, weathered the storm from third-seed CafeFrance, 79-72.
With the Breadstory leading by as much as 24, 55-31, early in the third, CafeFrance came back and made a big run, cutting the deficit to just four, 54-58, with nine minutes to play in the fourth. Bread Story-LPU, however, answered right back with a 12-4 blast to take a 70-58 advantage which they protected until the end.
Jackson Corpuz and Jiovanni Jalalon joined forces to lift the Smashing Bakers to the victory. Corpuz had a double-double with his 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Jalalon got 21 markers and five assists in the big victory.
Joseph Gabayni also chimed in nine points and eight rebounds for Bread Story-LPU.
“No one expected us to be in the quarters,” said Bread Story-LPU coach Bonnie Tan.
After an 18-all first quarter deadlock, Breadstory used a 28-point second period surge to take a surprising 46-31 halftime edge against CafeFrance, the same squad which retooled its lineup just before the playoffs by acquiring Gelo Alolino and Carl Bryan Cruz.
Tan said that his wards were never short in motivation, as he recounted a time in the eliminations when Bread Story-LPU found itself down 2-5 in the standings after suffering an 88-74 defeat to the Bakers.
“May mga narinig kami na dina-down daw kami. Yun ang naging challenge sa mga players ko kaya nag-step up sila,” Tan said.
Tan admitted the tall task in front of them as they wage war against the Breadstory on Monday, saying, “Yung CafeFrance, sobrang veteran team. We know that they can adjust and they know how to win games.”
“Kami naman, maga-adjust lang kami ng konti. We’ll gain whatever experience we can get dun sa rubber match namin.”
Ahanmisi led the Bakers with 14 points and 10 rebounds, as Joseph Sedurifa had 11 of his 12 markers in the second half.
Alolino also chipped in 10 points in his first game for CafeFrance after being released by MJM at the end of the eliminations.
Hulking big man Rod Ebondo went scoreless in his five minutes for coach Egay Macaraya, as the Cameroonian still nursed an ankle injury.
In the second game, Cebuana Lhuillier survived a rally from Jumbo Plastic to escape with a 63-53 win.
“Tinandaan namin yung date: November 3, 2014. We lost a big margin to Jumbo then we lost the game,” Gems coach Boycie Zamar said, reflecting on their 61-63 eliminations defeat to the Giants.
“Chinallenge ko kanina yung mga players because every time we play the top teams, nagdo-doubt sila. They have to prove a point that they can play as a team, play heads-up basketball against the stronger teams.”
Paul Zamar came up big in the clutch, scoring eight of his 18 points in the payoff period alongside his six boards, while Allan Mangahas contributed 12 markers, four rebounds, and four assists in the victory.
Simon Enciso also had 10, as Kevin Ferrer just missed out in a double-double with his 8-point, 10-rebound, and 2-block production.
With the game tied at 46 midway in the fourth period, Cebuana broke away from Jumbo Plastic courtesy of a 11-2 tear, punctuated by a jumper from Mangahas to push the Gems up, 57-48, with less than five minutes remaining.
Glenn Khobuntin and Jansen Rios still tried to help Jumbo Plastic in its comeback bid, but a booming trey from Zamar with 2:52 on the clock spelled the doom for the fourth-seed Giants.
Philip Paniamogan paced Jumbo Plastic with 14 points, with newly acquired Khobuntin logging 12 markers and five rebounds.
The quarterfinals will continue in Monday at the San Juan Arena, with Jumbo Plastic facing Cebuana Lhuillier anew at 2 p.m. The victor earns the right to clash with top-seed Cagayan Valley in the semifinals.
The duel between CafeFrance and Bread Story-LPU will follow shortly after at 4 p.m., with Hapee awaiting the winner of that series in the Final Four. (RL)
The Scores:
First Game:
Bread Story-LPU 79 – Corpuz 21, Jalalon 21, Gabayni 9, Baltazar 5, Mbimiko 5, Daquioag 5, Vigil 5, Lao 3, Bangga 3, Taladua 2, Gamboa 0, Zamora 0, Bulawan 0.
CafeFrance 72 – Ahanmisi 14, Sedurifa 12, Alolino 10, Cruz 8, Noble 6, Batino 6, Andrada 5, Jeruta 4, De Leon 4, Abundo 2, Galanza 1, Cortes 0, Ebondo 0.
Quarters: 18-18, 46-31, 58-52, 79-72.
Second Game:
Cebuana Lhuillier 63 – Zamar 18, A. Mangahas 12, Enciso 10, Ferrer 8, Torres 8, Bautista 6, Villahermosa 2, Lopez 2, Guinto 2, Acibar 0, Vosotros 0.
Jumbo Plastic 53 – Paniamogan 14, Khobuntin 12, Rios 8, Sabellina 6, Tiongsin 4, Cruz 3, Eguilos 3, Colina 2, Javier 1, Rosales 0, Terso 0, Maiquez 0, Villamor 0.
Quarters: 9-12, 31-27, 44-44, 63-53.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
