Davao Occidental-Cocolife leaned on Emman Calo’s heroics to gut out an 85-83 escape over Marikina in the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season, Monday at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila.
Trailing by five with 1:17 left after back-to-back triples by Von Tambeling and Yves Sazon, Davao Occidental came back with a 6-0 counter courtesy of Mark Yee and Yvan Ludovice, 82-81.
Tambeling then took matters into his own hands. He drove to the hoop off an isolation play to put Marikina back ahead, 83-82.
And with 8.82 seconds left, Calo drained a desperation trey off an offensive rebound to give Davao Occidental a two-point lead, 85-83.
With one final chance to tie or win the game, Sazon took a corner triple but Calo blocked the attempt to ice the victory.
“That was a prayer shot that got answered,” said Tigers head coach Don Dulay on Calo’s game-winner.
Joseph Terso drained 13 points. Meanwhile, Ludovice, Yee, and Calo had 11 apiece.
Davao will enter the post-season as the top seed with a 26-4 slate.
On the other hand, Tambeling exploded with 32 points on an 8-of-12 shooting clip from deep. Sazon and Ato Ular tallied double-doubles in points and rebounds with 23-11 and 18-12, respectively.
The Shoemasters fell to 7-22.
The Scores:
Davao Occidental-Cocolife 85 – Terso 13, Yee 11, Ludovice 11, Calo 11, Mocon 6, Robles 6, Raymundo 6, Bonleon 6, Albo 5, Balagtas 5, Gaco 3, Custodio 2.
Marikina 83 РTambeling 32, Sazon 23, Ular 18, Espa̱ola 4, Fortuno 2, Mendoza 2, Cadoma 2, Gines 0, Ybanez 0, Dysam 0, Padua 0, Pascual 0, Casajeros 0.
Quarterscores: 18-15, 38-38, 57-60, 85-83.
Story by Justin Valencia
Photo by Nicks Hernandez
