Hot Erasers take thriller vs Jr Tigers; Waves win

MANILA, Philippines – Erase Plantcenta pulled off a surprise 81-69 victory over Jr Powerade while Boracay Rum capped the day of the struggling teams with a scrambling 67-65 win over Cagayan in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Trinity University of Asia gym in QC yesterday.

Allan Mangahas came away with 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals to power the Erasers to their second win in five games.

The Waves matched that record as they watched Cagayan’s Roger Malig-on flub a game-tying jumper in the closing seconds to escape with the victory in the other contest.

Jr Powerade also dropped to 2-3 while Cagayan fell to 0-5.

“Allan is our first option in offense, I think the team lives and dies with him”, said coach Efren Garcia of Mangahas, who with newcomer June Dizon, helped power the Erasers to a 43-30 lead at the half.

The Tigers actually struck back to within, 55-59, but the Erasers countered with seven unanswered points, capped by Mangahas’ buzzer-beating triple in the third, for a 66-55 lead.

Dizon also dished out a career-best 20 points, including 14 in the first half, and six rebounds, while Jett Vidal hit five of eight three-pointers and wound up with 19 points and five rebounds.

Erase also choked the Tigers to a horrible 2 of 24 shooting from the three point line (8.3 percent), while burying a total of nine triples.

Earlier, Malig-on missed to convert on an assist by a driving James Castro with 11 seconds left in the game, allowing Boracay Rum to snatch the win.

Kenneth Acibar paced the Waves 16 points, while Toto Bandaying and Joseph Abaya chipped in 10 points apiece.