Tanduay, Racal target D-L finals

MANILA, Philippines - Tanduay and Racal try to finish off Cignal-San Beda and Café France, respectively, today and arrange a showdown for the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup crown at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

The Rhum Masters and the Tile Masters came away with victories in contrasting fashions last Tuesday and moved within a win from wrapping up their respective best-of-three semis series for a clash for the league’s season-opening conference crown.

No. 4 Tanduay stunned Cignal-San Beda, 66-55, halting the Hawkeyes’ eight-game roll while holding the top seed squad to its lowest output in the conference after norming 91 points in the elims.

“Our game plan for defense worked. On our offense, we relied on a few of our key players, but the rest is all about defense,” said Tanduay coach Lawrence Chongson, looking to employ the same stifling defense in closing out the series for a trip to the finals.

“If it ain’t broken, why fix it? So probably, we’ll stay with the same thing while making a few adjustments. But I’m sure Cignal will come up with its own adjustments so we have to watch out.”

Six-time league champion coach Boyet Fernandez, meanwhile, hopes to neutralize ex-pros Mark Cruz and Jerwin Gaco, whose team-up turned things around for Tanduay, leading to the Rhum Masters’ five-game romp.

“(Mark) Cruz did a good job. (Jerwin) Gaco made an impact with Tanduay in the last five games so we just have to take good care of them and hopefully, we can recover and get back,” said Fernandez.