PBA D-League Playoff Chase Resumes January 3

The chase for playoff berths in the season-opening Philippine Basketball Association D-League Aspirants' Cup resumes in earnest on January 3 with nine of the eleven competing teams still in contention for post-elims berths.

Three of the teams - pace-setting Cebuana Lhuillier (8-1), Freego Jeans (6-2) and Big Chill (6-3) are sure to make it while NLEX (5-1) is also practically there.

The Gems and Road Warriors, finalists in the inuagural D-League tournament earlier this year, collide on January 12 with possibly one outright semifinals berth on the line with the loser probably battling the Jeans Makers for the other outright spot if current form holds up.

The Superchargers hope to lock on to the second twice-to-beat quarterfinals edge but if Blackwater (3-3), RnW Pacific Pipes (4-3) or Boracay Rum (4-4) catch fire in January, Big Chill may have to go through a playoff to get that lofty placing.

PC Gilmore (2-5) and CafeFrance (2-5) both have an outside shot of making the Top Six but may need to win their remaining games. DUB Unlimited (1-7) and Cobra Energy Drink (1-8) are out of contention but could play the spoilers' role in the final six playdates.

Cebuana Lhuillier has been sizzling behind the heady performances of forward Vic Manuel and guards Terrence Romeo and ex-pro Jai Reyes and hope to get Kevin Alas back for the stretch run after the Letran guard spent several weeks in the US on a training trip.

NLEX has the core of the SEA Games gold medal winning team in its fold, with six members of the Sinag Pilipinas team in its fold as well as San Sebastian's frontline but the loss of sniper Roland Pascual (ACL) means Garvo Lanete and Chris Ellis have to step up their games alongside RR Garcia, Calvin Abueva and Clifford Hodge.

Freego Jeans also lost a vital cog when back-up guard Jer4ick Canada opted to turn pro overseas, leaving a huge gap behind star playmaker Lester Alvarez in the team's rotation though they finally have standout wingman Alex Nuyles healthy again to join Eric Camson, Janus Lozada and Bacon Austria.

Dark horse Big Chill needs consistent performances from Fil-Ams Alex Mallari, Keith Jensen and Elliot Tan as well as local workhorses Raffy Peyes, Jopher Custodio and Jessie Collado to go further in the tournament.(pr)

NLEX vs. C.Lhuillier, a dream match-up

The final act of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup between the NLEX Road
Warriors and the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems is a dream match-up.

It features two teams whose bench are the envy of many and players
with remarkable skills and talents.

The Gems secured their spot in the series by dispatching the PC
Gilmore Wizards, 83-55, in a lopsided semi-final match-up last
Thursday.

The Road Warriors were just as powerful in their 74-61 victory against
the Max! Bond Super Glue Sumos.

Coaches of both teams readily declare this will be great series as the
two teams battle for the first championship trophy of the fledgling
league.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series is scheduled at 3 p.m. at The Arena
in San Juan.

The Road Warriors and the Gems have lots in common that makes this
series a certified “must-see”.

They are both hard workers and fierce competitors. They are defense
oriented and love to play physical.

Luigi Trillo, coach of Cebuana Lhuillier, called their Finals
appearance a humbling experience. “But there’s still a job to be done.
We can’t underachieve and be happy by just making the Finals.”

He said the Road Warrior are very athletic. “But I think we can match
up with them. They have their strengths and we have ours. It will be
great series,” Trillo declared.

NLEX coach Boyet Fernadez is just as ecstatic about their final act.
He said this is what they have prepared for over the last four months.

“The team is in high spirits. Three-fourths of our job is done. Were
confident that we can match up with them well,” Fernandez said.

Because it’s a short series, Fernandez said winning Game 1 is crucial.

“It’s very important in a series like this. Whoever plays defense well
and makes stops in the end will win the series,” he said. (PR)

Cebuana Lhuillier topples PC Gilmore, 83-55

Games on Tuesday
(The Arena)
3 p.m. – Cebuana Lhuillier vs NLEX


Cebuana Lhuillier got significant contributions from just about
everybody and toppled the overmatched PC Gilmore Wizards, 83-55, in
their knockout semi-final duel Thursday that sent the Gems into the
championship series of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Ynares
Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The Gems got their game going early and pulled away in the third
quarter as Kevin Alas and James Sena took over the scoring and
frustrated their rivals.

Narciso Llagas was the most consistent scorer among the Gems, going 9
of 10 from the field and finishing with a game-high 19 points that
went with his 10 rebounds for a double-double.

The Gems, the Group B top seed, also got outstanding efforts from
James Sena (11 points) and Ariel Mepana, who did a good job in taking
away the games of the Wizards’ big men.

They will need a lot of it in the finals.

The NLEX Road Warriors put on a dominating performance in the other
semi-final to smother Max! Bond Super Glue, 74-61, and arrange a title
duel with Cebuana Lhuillier.

Game 1 of the best-of-three series will start on Tuesday at The Arena
in San Juan.

The Road Warriors’ intention of securing their place in the
championship series was never in doubt.

They displayed their A-1 game. They got their offensive rhythm early.
And they punished the Sumos off the boards.

Their spectacular performance effectively put the Road Warriors in
total control by halftime, 43-25.

“Three-fourths of our job is done. Now, we have to prepare for Cebuana
Lhuillier. I think it will be tough series,” said NLEX coach Boyet
Fernandez.

Calvin Abueva scored 19 points, Ronald Pascual had 14 and Eric Salamat
added 11 for the Road Warriors, who outshot and outrebounded their
rivals before slowing down a bit in the fourth.


“I thought we rotated well and did a good job on defense,” said
Cebuana Lhuillier coach Luigi Trillo.

He admitted that PC Gilmore was not as deep as his team but cited the
Wizards downfall to their poor shooting. The Gems enjoyed their
biggest lead at 81-53 on Llagas’ basket with 2:50 remaining in the
game.

“I think their shooters – Carlo Lastimosa, Jett Vidal and Allan
Mangahas – got a lot of good looks. They just didn’t fall.”

As a team, the Gems shot 53 percent (31 of 59). They also dominated
the boards, 50-32, and were unselfish with their 25 assists.

In a game that mattered most, the Wizards played their worst. They
were slow on defense, they allowed themselves to be pushed around and
to make matters even worse, PC Gilmore made just 31 percent (19 of 61)
of its attempts.

The most significant threat encountered by the Gems came in the second
quarter when Vidal (8 points) layup to pull the Wizard within 24-26
with 3:59 left in the period.

But Cebuana Lhuillier quickly responded with 14-3 run to close the
quarter and led 38-29 at the half. Llagas and Allein Maliksi each
scored five points in that spurt and PC Gilmore never got closer then
eight points the rest of the way.

“It’s a humbling experience. It’s nice to be in the finals. But
there’s still job to be done. We can’t underachieve and be happy on
advancing to the finals,” Trillo said.

Jam Cortes and Eric Agas each scored 13 points for PC Gilmore.
Lastimosa, usually among the Wizards’ top scorers, managed just 9
points on 3 of 10 shooting and Mangahas, another marksman, turned in 5
points on 2 of 9 clip.

The scores:
First Game
Cebuana Lhuillier 83 --Llagas 19, Maliksi 13, Sena 11, Alas 9, Elinon
7, Fernandez 6, Mepana 6, Canta 6, Mandani 2, Hayes 2, Lee 2,
Bagatsing 0, Semira 0.


PC Gilmore 55 – Agas 13, Cortes 13, Lastimosa 9, Vidal 8, Mangahas 5,
Acosta 4, Parala 2, Dysum 1, Magbanua 0, Sarangay 0, Sorongon 0, Sinco
0, McCoy 0, Almasan 0.

Quarters: 17-14; 38-29; 65-48; 83-55.

Second Game

NLEX 74 – Abueva 19, Pascual 14, Salamat 11, Hodge 7, Co 7, Taganas 5,
Menor 4, Ellis 4, Sanggalang 3, Belencion 0, Raymundo 0.

Max! Bond Super Glue 61 – Cervantes 16, Cabatu 12, Lingganay 10,
Bautista 6, Navarro 5, Teng 4, Hugnatan 4, Fortuna 2, Benites 2, Cuan
0, Camus 0, Afuang 0.

Quarters: 25-14; 43-25; 65-38; 74-61.PR

NLEX braces for `very tough' battle

Games on Thursday
(Ynares Sports Arena)
      Pasig City

2p.m. – Cebuana Lhuillier vs PC Gilmore
4p.m. – NLEX vs Max! Bond Super Glue

NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez braces for a “very tough” battle when his
Road Warriors and the Max! Bond Super Glue Sumos clash on Thursday for
a Finals berth in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup.

The two teams arranged a semi-final showdown following contrasting
victories of their respective quarterfinal match on Tuesday. Max! Bond
Super Glue eliminated Blackwater, 74-71, courtesy of a clutch basket
from Reil Cervantes while NLEX pounced on an overmatched FCA team,
100-71.

According to Fernandez, Max! Bond Super Glue is a tough challenge
mainly because of its experienced core that features Junjun Cabatu,
Reil Cervantes, Lei Mar Navarro, Rudy Lingganay and Roel Hugnatan.

“We can match up well with their bigs. But I don’t think we have
answer for their experience,” Fernandez admits.

Youth, he said, is his team’s valuable asset so he hopes the Road
Warriors would take advantage of their aggressiveness and quickness.

“Our guys are young. Hopefully we could match their intensity and take
advantage of our quickness,” said Fernandez, assuring his troops would
show up for the 4 p.m. duel “super electrified.”

“Management has given us all the support we need and more. I think
that’s more than enough motivation for us to try and do the best we
can to win.”

Pido Jarencio, the Max! Bond Super Glue coach, insists they are coming
into this all-important knockout match as an underdog.

Powered by four Fil-Ams, referring to Clifford Hodge, Christian Reyes,
Karl Duhesa and Christopher Ellis, Jarencio said NLEX presents a
mismatch nightmare.

“Basta kami padikit-dikit lang. Ngayon kung may opportunity na
dumating ibang usapan na yan,” he said.

Whichever team wins will advance to the best-of-three championship
series against the winner of the other semi-final between Cebuana
Lhuillier and PC Gilmore.

Game time is set at 2 o’clock and Cebuana Lhuillier coach Luigi Trillo
said the Gems cannot “overachieve at this point.”

Trillo said PC Gilmore is a good scoring team that loves to
transition. And it has guards who like to score and create.

“Can we defend that? That’s my challenge to our guys,” he said.

In contrast, PC Gilmore coach Richard del Rosario claims he and his
team are coming into the game without any pressure considering they
are up against the pre-tournament favourite.
“There really is no pressure on us. However, since it’s a knockout
game there’s always a chance for an upset and were going all out to
make it to the finals,” he said.PR

NLEX edges PC Gilmore, 88-87

PBA D-League Foundation Cup
Team Standings

               Group A

                                           W     L
NLEX                                   3   1
Pharex                                  2     1
Black Water                          2      1
PC Gilmore                           2     2
RnW Pacific Pipes                1      2
Freego Jeans                         0       3

              Group B
                                            W     L

Cobra Energy Drink              2      0
Cebuana Lhuillier                 2      1
FCA                                      2       1
Maynilad                               2      2
Max! Bond Super Glue         1      1
Junior Powerade                    1      2
Café France                           0      3

Games Thursday
 (JCSGO gym)
2 p.m. – Black Water vs Pharex
4 p.m. – Max! Bond vs Cobra Energy Drink





John Raymundo made a key assist that set up Clifford Hodge for a
three-point play that lifted NLEX to a thrilling 88-87 victory over PC
Gilmore, Tuesday, in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the JCSGO gym.

Only 3.9 seconds was left on the game clock when the 5-foot-10 guard
squeezed himself off a double-team and fed Hodge underneath the
basket.

The 6-foot-5 forward made an awkward shot but it somehow fell into the
basket and tied the game. Fouled on that play, Hodge calmly sank his
bonus free throw to put the Road Warriors ahead.

“I had no more option. Then nakita ko si Hodge na libre so pinasa ko
agad,” said Raymundo of his game-winning feed.

In the first game, Alfredo Gerilla scored 15 points and Alan Husted
knocked two huge 3-point shots in the fourth quarter as the FCA
Cultivators subdued the Maynilad Water Dragons, 77-67, in Group B
play.

PC Gilmore called for time with 1.1 seconds to play. And the Wizards
nearly pulled it off but Jett Vidal’s game-winning attempt went short
as time expired.

The win was the third in four game for the Road Warriors, who assumed
the solo lead in Group A. PC Gilmore fell to 2-2 record.

Hodge scored 21` points and Ian Sanggalang grabbed 13 rebounds for
NLEX, which outrebounded PC Gilmore, 46-40.
“Our defense collapsed in the early going. That’s the reason why [PC
Gilmore} scored 44 points in the first half. But the guys did a good
job catching up,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

The Wizards led by 14 points (63-49) late in the third, but NLEX
outscored them 14-2, over the next 2:30 minutes to trim the deficit to
just one going into the fourth. Chris Ellis started the run with
3-point play and dunk and Jaypee Belencion (16 points) ended it with
successive 3-pointers.

Carlo Lastimosa led all scorers with 22 points and his lay-p with 1:29
to play gave the Wizards an 86-81 lead.

Mark Acosta scored 18 points and Vidal added 11 for the Wizards.

After losing their composure in the second quarter, the Cultivators
rallied from a seven point deficit in the third before taking control
with a 9-0 run.

The win was the second in three game for the Cultivators, who bounced
back from a 58-80 blowout loss against Cebuana Lhuillier two-weeks
ago.

“We had a good start but lost our focus in the second quarter when
Maynilad made a run. I thought the players responded well in the
second half,” said FCA coach Arsenio Dysangco, himself drawing a
technical midway in the second for continuous complaining to the
officials.

Up next for the Cultivators is winless Café France on May 5.

“That’s a problem for us. We won’t play in the next three weeks. We’ll
see how to keep the guys in shape,” he said.

After  Garvo Lanete tied the game at 57-57, Alex Mallari and Husted
hit successive 3-pointers and Gerilla completed a 3-point play to give
FCA a nine-point lead.

Lanete, who led all scorers with 21 points, scored on a layup in the
ensuing play but Husted answered with another 3-pointer to make it a
10-point game. Husted and Mallari scored 13 points apiece.

Jose Lim was the only other Water Dragon in doubled figures with 10
points. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak by Maynilad, which
played without suspended coach Frankie Lim.

Maynilad shot poorly (22 percent) in the first quarter but clawed back
in the next as Lanete warmed up. During that stretch, the Cultivators
became tentative and wilted as the Water Dragons played physical.

Maynilad (2-2) opened a 49-42 lead in the third quarter but lost their
rhythm following a series of turnovers, mostly on errant passes. FCA
exploited the opportunity and outscored the Water Dragons, 15-6, over
four minutes to take a 2-point lead entering the third.



The Scores:
First Game

FCA 77 – Gerilla 15, Mallari 13, Husted 13, Cole 10, Reyes 7, Canlas
4, Pascual 4, Dizon 3, Bulawan 3, Co 3, Custodio 2, Datang 0.

Maynila 67 – Lanete 21, Lim 10, Marcelo 8, Diputado 7, E. Pascual 6,
Caram 4, Dela Rosa 4, K. Pascual 4, A. Semerad 2, D. Semerad 0,
Villahermosa 0.

Quarters: 22-12; 37-39; 57-55; 77-67.

Second Game

NLEX 88 – Hodge 21, Sangalang 18, Belencion 12, Menor 10, Ellis 7,
Salamat 6, Abueva 5, Raymundo 4, Tesoro 3, Co 2, Pascual 0, Dehesa 0.

PC Gilmore 87 – Lastimosa 22, Acosta 14, Mangahas 11, Vidal 9, Sinco
9, Cortes 8, Agas 8, Parala 2, Sarangay 2, Magbanua 0, Dysam 0.

Quarters: 16-21; 36-44; 63-64; 88-87.PR

PC Gilmore looks to extend win streak, battles co-leader NLEX

PBA D-League Foundation Cup
Team Standings

               Group A

                                           W     L
Pharex                                  2     1
NLEX                                   2     1
PC Gilmore                           2     1
Black Water                          2      1
RnW Pacific Pipes                1      2
Freego Jeans                         0       3

              Group B
                                            W     L

Cobra Energy Drink              2      0
Cebuana Lhuillier                 2      1
Maynilad                               2      1
FCA                                      1       1
Max! Bond Super Glue         1      1
Junior Powerade                    1      2
Café France                           0      3

Games Tuesday
(JCSGO gym)
2 p.m. – Maynilad vs FCA
4 p.m. – PC Gilmore vs NLEX




PC Gilmore looks to extend its winning-streak to three games in the
PBA D-League Foundation Cup when it battles co-leader NLEX on Tuesday.

The 4 p.m. duel at the JCSGO gym in Cubao, Quezon City is a huge game
for both teams with the winner assuming the sole lead in Group A. PC
Gilmore and NLEX are tied with idle Pharex and Black Water Perfume at
2-1 (win-loss) records.

Maynilad also aims for a third straight win when the Water Dragons
test the mettle of the FCA Cultivators (1-1) at 2 o’clock.

But the Water Dragons will have to do it without coach Frankie Lim,
who was fined P5,000 and suspended for one game for shoving Café
France’s Ilderfonso Bulangis late in the fourth quarter of their
106-74 romp over the Scorpions last Tuesday.

Maynilad (2-1) is currently tied with Cebuana Lhuillier at second
place behind Group B leader Cobra Energy Drink (2-0).

With its deep bench, PC Gilmore coach Richard del Rosario contends the
Road Warriors would be a tough match-up

“The challenge against NLEX is how to keep the game close,” Del
Rosario said. “They have a star-studded line-up and we can’t engage
them in a shooting contest.”

But he admitted the Wizards are coming into the game with a positive
outlook in the aftermath of their 99-97 stunning victory against
Pharex last week.

Del Rosario said the “lead” is an added motivation but would rather
not pressure his players. “We will just play hard and try to pull off
another surprise.”

Apparently, NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez believes the Wizards are
capable of doing it.

“I was watching the last game [of PC Gilmore] and I can’t find any
weakness,” Fernandez offered.

He noted that Carlo Lastimosa and Allen Mangahas are averaging 15
points a game while bigmen Mark Sorongan, Mark Acosta, Jam Cortez and
Mike Parala are playing good basketball the last two games.

“So we have to bring our defensive mentality if we want to win and
stay on top of the standings,” Fernandez said.

Meanwhile, the PBA Commissioner’s Office released yesterday the list
of players who have been fined for various offenses in the fledgling
league.

They are Maynilad’s Sudan Daniels (FFP1/P2,500), Ogie Menor of NLEX
(landing spot/ no contact/P2,500), Maynilad’s Kyle Pascual (TF/second
motion/P1,000), John Raymundo of NLEX (TF/tripping with no
contact/P1,000), Pharex’s Jonathan Banal (TF/second motion/P1,000),
Cebuana Lhuillier’s Benedict Fernandez (FFP2/landing spot/P5,000), and
Pharex’s Jeff Viernes (FFP1/P2,500).

Max! Bon’s Reil Carvantes (FFP1/ P2,500), John Meligrito of RNW
Pacific Pipes (FFP1/ P2,500), FCA’s Bert Bulawan (TF/profane/P1,000),
FCA’s Fred Gerilla (TF/profane/P1,000), FCA’s Ariel Mepana
(TF/profane/P1,000), PC Gilmore’s Eric Agas (FFP1/ P2,500) and Freego
Jeans’ Julius Colina (FFP1/P2,500).PR