Big Chill trips B’water, gains final vs NLEX

MANILA, Philippines - Janus Lozada unloaded four triples as Big Chill dominated Blackwater Sports, 89-78, in their sudden death at The Arena in San Juan yesterday to arrange a showdown with defending champion NLEX for the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup crown.

The Superchargers broke away in the second period then sustained their charge in the second half before fending a series of Blackwater rallies to fashion out the come-from-behind win in their best-of-three playoff.

Lozada finished with 21 points while Reil Cervantes and Mark Canlas backed him up with 18 and 15 markers, respectively.

Reserved center Rodney Brondial also stepped up to fire nine points and haul down seven reboudns while guard Quinton Heruela missed churning out a double-double game with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

It was a tough loss for the Blackwater Sports, which took Game 1, 84-72, but dropped an 84-95 setback in Game 2, setting up the rubber match for the other finals berth.
The fancied Road Warriors swept the Hog’s Breath Café in their own best-of-three series.

Game 1 of the finals, also a best-of-three, will be held Sunday starting at 1 p.m. at the Smart Areneta Coliseum.

“Defense won it for us. Overall, it was a total team effort. Everybody contributed to accomplish our goal,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison.

It will be the second Finals appearance for the Superchargers, who were swept by the Road Warriors in the 2011-12 Foundation Cup Finals.  

“It will be a very tough uphill battle,” Sison said of their titular series with NLEX. “But nothing is impossible.” 

The Elite failed to match up with the Superchargers’ energy and intensity and spent the second half playing catch-up to no avail. 

The two teams battled through five deadlocks and six lead changes in the first half but Big Chill surged ahead as Lozada found his range and rifled in straight triples to make it, 41-33, at the half.

Jericho Cruz scored 21 points, Allan Mangahas added 16 markers and Pari Llagas had 12 points for the Blackwater Sports, which shot just 36 percent (26 of 72) from the field.