Jewels trip Tigers, gain quarterfinals

Montana used one big scoring splurge in the second quarter and went on to smother Sunkist-UST, 86-59, yesterday and advance to the quarterfinals of the PBL Unity Cup at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Ismael Junio fired 18 points, including seven straight in the third quarter, as the Jewels put away the Tigers for good en route to the victory that set up the Jewels against the Toyota Otis-Knights in tomorrow’s quarterfinals at the Letran Gym.

Rookie Ronjay Buenafe, Jon Dan Salvador and Al Magpayo, backed Junio with 14, 12 and 10 points, respectively, as the Jewels’ 27-point victory re-set the previous mark in winning margin of 25 they themselves established when they thumped the Welcoat Paint Masters last April 24 in a 93-68 rout.

Montana, however, would need two victories over Toyota Otis to advance to the semifinals in a bid to join Welcoat (6-4) and elimination round topnotcher Viva-FEU (9-1).

"Our second unit played big for us because they were the ones who sparked the big runs," said Montana coach Robert Sison, who is now 2-1 since taking over the coaching reins from Bong Go.

Defense also played a big factor in Montana’s win.

The Jewels forced the Tigers to a woeful 20-of-71 shooting as they shackled the latter’s top guns — Alex Compton and Jemal Vizcarra.

Compton waxed hot in the first half with 12 points but struggled the rest of the way while Vizcarra was held to just seven points on a forgettable two-of-11 conversion.

In the other game, Blustar Detergent trounced Lee Pipes-Ateneo, 63-58, to forge a quarterfinal duel with defending champion Hapee Toothpaste.

Toti Almeda and Eric Dela Cuesta broke a 52-all deadlock with key baskets in the stretch as the Detergent Kings moved two wins away from booking a semis seat.

"I’ve played Compton so many times in the past and I kept instructing my players to forget everyone but Alex," said Sison, who coached the Negros Slashers in the defunct MBA while Compton was with the Manila Metrostars and the Batangas Blades.

PBL notes: League referees, headed by Vic Maglaya, wore black ribbons on their shirts in memory of barker Chuck Basilio, who passed away Tuesday night due to heart failure. He was 32.