TERRENCE ROMEO caught fire early and towed Big Chill to a 74-63 win over Blackwater Sports on Tuesday in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Romeo had 10 of his 18 points in the first quarter to lead the Superchargers to their second win in as many games, while spoiling Karim Abdul’s debut in the league.
Janus Lozada had 13 points, while Arvie Bringas and Rodney Brondial each had eight rebounds as Big Chill took over the top spot from erstwhile unbeaten Cagayan Valley, which bowed to Erase XFoliant 78-91 and slipped to 2-1.
“I think the team is slowly jelling right now,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison. “Nakikilala na nila ’yung isa’t isa, they are trying their best to jell with each other, and the teamwork was there in this game.”
“They are playing their role and I like what I’m seeing,” he added.
Abdul missed the first half of the contest as he needed to secure a school document required for him to play in the PBA D-League.
UST's Cameroonian center, who finished second in the MVP race in the recent UAAP basketball tournament, arrived at the venue late in the second quarter. By the time Abdul entered the game at the start of the second half, the Superchargers already had a commanding 39-23 lead.
Abdul finished the game with only two points.
Allan Mangahas and Gio Ciriacruz each had 12 points for Blackwater Sports.
The scores:
Big Chill (74) – Romeo 18, Lozada 13, Villahermosa 12, Montecastro 9, Buenafe 8, Bringas 6, Brondial 4, Collado 2, Santos 2, Canta 0, Canlas 0, Cortes 0, Montilla 0, Semira 0.
Blackwater Sports (63) – Mangahas 12, Ciriacruz 12, Ferrer 11, Celiz 9, Llagas 5, Fortuna 4, Bagatsing 2, Abdul 2, Chua 2, Mazo 2, Lo 0, Vigil 0, Pe 0, Ciriacruz 0.
Quarterscores: 18-14; 39-23; 58-38; 74-63.
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