BIÑAN — After losing of four of its last five games, Makati-Super Crunch headed into its final match in the elimination round of the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season.
Veteran Jeckster Apinan then made sure that they would barge into the MPBL playoffs coming off a win, dealing playoff-hopeful GenSan-Burlington a 91-90 escape in overtime, Thursday at the Alonte Sports Arena here.
Apinan and Warriors’ Mikey Williams went toe-to-toe in extra period; the former got 10 of the 12 Makati points, while the latter tallied all of his team’s 11 markers.
But the 6-foot-5 big man had the last laugh, drilling the buzzer-beating lay-in off a pass from Cedric Ablaza. He also gave the Super Crunch-backed squad the much-needed confidence-booster heading into the playoffs.
“Nabiyayaan lang ako doon eh. Ang iniisip ko na lang noon, wala na talagang oras kasi nagbibilang na ‘yung bench namin eh, nung binato ko. Buti umabot pa,” Apinan on his game-winner.
The 33-year-old veteran out of Jose Rizal University did everything on the court and finished with 29 points on a 9-of-14 clip and 10-of-15 from the stripe, 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block.
Moreover, Makati arrested its two-game slide and will enter the post-season as the North division third seed behind a 22-8 win-loss record. It will face either 1Bataan-Camaya Coast or Bulacan in the quarterfinals.
“Kailangan talaga namin itong game na ito para pagdating sa playoffs, nandoon pa rin ‘yung confidence sa laro. Kinailangan talaga namin ito para madala namin hanggang sa playoffs.”
Asked about Apinan’s aggressiveness in overtime, coach Beaujing Acot has nothing but good things to say about his “leader”.
“Jeckster is one of our leaders talaga. He’s been a very good offensive and defensive player.”
In other games, Bacoor downed Iloilo, 79-68, while Davao Occidental-Cocolife survived Biñan-Luxxe White, 72-66.
Story by Justin Valencia
Photo by Thel Suliva
