MARINERONG Pilipino-San Beda turned back upset-conscious Wangs@27 Strikers-Letran in their knockout game, 79-65, on Thursday to clinch a spot in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup finals at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig.
James Payosing went a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, finishing with 23 points for the Red Lions, who won the best-of-three semifinal series, 2-1.
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Bannered by four players suiting up for TNT in the PBA On Tour, San Beda will face defending champion EcoOil-La Salle in the best-of-three title series that starts on Thursday next week.
The Lions obviously learned their lesson in Game 1 in which they lost a 24-point lead and dropped a 93-87 loss in overtime that initially put them on the brink of elimination.
They raced to a 22-12 lead at the end of the first period and stretched it to its biggest at 43-22 just before the halftime break.
Unlike in the series opener, there was no meltdown for San Beda this time.
“Sabi ko lang sa kanila, don’t stop playing for 48 minutes at nilagay nila yun sa puso nila,” said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta, who is in his first finals in a major league since taking over the post last year.
He added, ‘Hindi nag-relax yung mga players. Noong Game 1 huminto kami.”
Damie Cantapay, one of the four Red Lions in the Tropang Giga lineup, finished with 11 points and nine rebounds, while Yukien Andrada was the other San Beda player in double figures with 10.
Letran didn’t get into a rhythm the entire game, struggling from the field with its 34 percent shooting.
The Knights were also outscored in the paint, 42-18.
Kurt Rayson finished with 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists in a losing cause against the reigning three-time NCAA men’s defending champion.
The scores
Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda (79) – Payosing 23, Cuntapay 11, Andrada 10, Alfaro 7, Jopia 7, Gallego 6, Puno 6, Visser 4, Cortez 3, Royo 2, Tagle 0, Alloso 0, Jalbuena 0, Tagala 0, Teruel II 0.
Wangs@27Strikers-Letran (65) – Reyson 19, Cuajao 13, Guarino 10, Santos 7, Tolentino 5, Morales 5, Go 4, Monje 2, Laquindanum 0, Javillonar 0, Fajardo 0, Ariar 0, Brillantes 0, Bojorcelo 0, Alarcon 0.
Quarterscores: 22-12; 46-29; 61-50; 79-65.
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