Caloocan bests Pasig to enter MPBL semis

MANILA, Philippines – Caloocan hacked out a gritty 68-60 win over Pasig City MCW Sports in Game 3 to end a dogfight series and advance in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) North Division semifinals on Friday night at the Caloocan Sports Complex.

Like in the first two games, the Batang Kankaloo were dragged into a tightrope mano-a-mano before pulling through in the clutch to fend off the gritty Tropang Pasig and complete the division’s Final Four cast.

Gabby Espinas tallied 15 points and seven rebounds, Jeramer Cabanag and Joco Tayongtong added 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Paul Sanga (8) and Mac Baracael (6) put on the finishing daggers for Caloocan, which will face top-seed Pampanga in the semis.

“First of all, we want to thank God for this win. It all boiled down to having a bigger heart. The boys stuck together. They trusted each other. Naniwala sila sa game plan namin,” said oach Ronnie Dojillo.

Caloocan, seeded No. 4, played catch-up basketball to the spirited Pasig side in the first three quarters despite its home court advantage before finding its groove in the nick of time.

A booming trey by Baracael followed by Sanga’s long deuce in the last two minutes finally ignited Caloocan’s breakaway at 63-56 heading home.

But it wasn’t a walk in the park as Dojillo lauded Pasig’s resilience in pushing them to the limits that will come handy in their semifinal stint. Caloocan took Game 1, 71-69, but Pasig retaliated in Game 2, 65-61, to force a decider.

“It’s really tough to beat Pasig. My hats off to coach Boyet (Fernandez) and the Pasig team. They gave us a hard time. It’s the players’ heart and the will to win. That’s what really carried us,” said Dojillo.

The wards of team owner Buddy Encarnado did, pouring it all against the odds as the No. 5 seed with a home court handicap and after losing team captain Ryan Costelo due to a disqualifying foul in the third quarter of the win-or-go-home duel.

Robbie Manalang and Rey Anthony Peralta had 10 points apiece while ex-PBA big man Jason Ballesteros put up nine points and 17 rebounds in the valiant stand of the unheralded Pasig squad bannered by homegrown talents.