MANILA, Philippines - Cagayan Valley, needing a victory to stay in the hunt, did just that, beating Boracay Rum, 101-83, to make the race to the PBA D-League Foundation Cup playoffs wide open at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao, QC yesterday.
The Rising Suns made their charge early on and kept pounding the Waves in the second half to score the runaway win and stave off elimination with a 5-4 card for a four-way tie at fifth with the Café France Bakers, the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems and their victims.
“This win kept our quarterfinal bid alive but we’ll still go for a top 3 or 4 finish,†said Cagayan Valley assistant coach Toto Dojillo in Filipino.
The top two teams after the eliminations will gain outright semifinal berths while the third and fourth seeds will enjoy twice-to-beat edges over the fifth and sixth placed teams in the quarters. The bottom six teams will be eliminated.
In the second game, Janus Lozada scored 26 points and Terrence Romeo had 20 markers to go with his nine assists as Big Chill routed Cebuana Lhuillier, 93-73, to tie its victim at 5-5.
Andrian Celada hit 25 points, including five triples, and Ping Eximiniano had 20 markers for the Rising Suns, who also drew a combined 23-point output from Edrian Lao and Chris Canta.
Joshua Webb dished out five assists for the Rising Suns, who shot 57.4 percent from the field and made 8 of 20 3-point attempts.
Cagayan Valley took the game away early, dominating the first half with tenacious defense and hustle, good ball movement and steady shooting.
Jeff Vierness tallied 22 points while Paolo Taha added 10 markers for the Waves, who remain upbeat of their chances for a coveted playoff spot.
The scores:
Cagayan Valley 101 – Celada 25, Exciminiano 22, Lao 12, Canta 11, Mercader 9, Poligrates 7, Bringas 7, Webb 4, Cruz 2, Melano 2, Jamito 0, Matute 0.
Boracay Rum 83 – Viernes 22, Taha 10, Sabellina 9, Bandaying 8, Eguilos 8, Fernandez 7, Ilagan 6, Pasculado 3, Arellano 3, Siruma 2, Rosopa 2, Tagarda 0.
Quarterscores: 27-15; 53-30; 73-57; 101-83