Steady Racal outlasts Cafe 5

Games Monday (JCSGO Gym, Cubao)

3 p.m. – Cafe France vs Batangas

5 p.m. – Cignal vs Racal

MANILA, Philippines - Racal proved steadier down the stretch as it turned back Cafe France, 82-78, to clinch one of the two outright semifinal berths in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig last night.

Jackson Corpuz scored off a pass by Rey Nambatac with 59.2 seconds remaining to spark the Tile Masters’ decisive 8-3 windup for the victory, their seventh against a loss in a tie with the idle Cignal-San Beda Hawkeyes.

The Bakers fell to 6-2 and even if they hurdle their last elims game and the Tile Masters drop theirs, the latter will still nail the other semis seat via the win-over-the-other rule. Café France settled for a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals.

“After our game last Tuesday, we barely had two days of rest. I am glad we were able to shake that off. I don’t know if that’s fatigue but it’s a good thing that we were able to make the impossible shots in the end,” said Racal coach Jerry Codiñera.

Café France actually led, 39-30, in the third quarter but the Tile Masters rallied to force a see-sawing contest before prevailing in the end.

Nambatac paced the Tile Masters with 24 points, Kent Salado came away with 11 markers while Jackson Corpuz, Allan Mangahas and Sydney Onwubere added 10 points apiece.

Rod Ebondo led the Bakers with a double-double of 24 points and 12 rebounds, Paul Desiderio wound up with 19 points, Jeepy Faundo tallied 13 markers while Mike Calisaan logged 11 points.

Earlier, Tanduay pulled away in the second quarter and went on to demolish Blustar Detergent, 78-60, and move a win away from gaining a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals.

The Rhum Masters held the Dragons to two points in the last 4:46 of the second period while unloading 15 points of their own as they built a 44-20 cushion at the half.