CHE’Lu Bar and Grill forced a winner-take-all Game Five in the 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Finals with a huge 88-81 victory over Go for Gold Tuesday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Newly-minted Conference MVP Jeff Viernes unloaded eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, to go with five assists and three rebounds as the Revellers extended the series.
Game Five is set on Thursday.
This time, Viernes got big help from his teammates as Jessie Collado got 16 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Bitoon got 14 points, two boards and two dimes, while Stephen Siruma had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
JayR Taganas was a force in the middle with 10 points and 16 rebounds, as Levi Hernandez added 10 points.
“I challenged them nangyari na sa atin yan, gusto niyo ba ulit maging runner-up?,” asked coach Stevenson Tiu of his wards in this crucial Game Four.
“At least, may chance pa. It boils down to a Game Five. We haven’t won the championship yet, pero nandyan yung chance.”
Che’Lu used an 8-2 spurt to open the fourth quarter that turned a slim 67-65 lead to a 75-67 advantage with 5:39 to play. Siruma and Taganas dominated the paint for the Revellers, buckling down on defense to hold off the numerous rallies from Go for Gold in the endgame.
Gab Banal paced the Scratchers with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Matt Salem and Rey Publico each scored 14.
The scores:
Che'Lu Bar 88 – Viernes 18, Collado 16, Bitoon 14, Siruma 11, Hernandez 10, Taganas 10, Melano 8, Ruaya 1, De Joya 0.
Go for Gold 81 – Banal 20, Publico 14, Salem 14, Reyes 12, Desiderio 8, Gaco 6, Tolentino 5, Dennison 2, Canada 0, Porter 0, Wong 0.
Quarterscores: 24-16; 47-44; 67-65; 88-81.
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