Juan Gomez de Liano and Jollo Go propelled Marinerong Pilipino to the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup semifinals by showing Centro Escolar University the exit doors, 75-66, Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The duo was pivotal for the Skippers halting their two-game losing skid and, in the process, setting up a date against top seed Apex Fuel-San Sebastian.
Gomez de Liano tallied 17 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Go nailed three treys for 17 points as well, alongside two boards in the win.
Arvin Gamboa poured 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals, and his three-point conversion with 3:03 left gave Marinerong Pilipino a 12-point lead, 68-56, to repel the Scorpions’ late-game rallies.
Adrian Nocum registered a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards to go along with six dimes for Marinero, who’s entering its fifth semis since entering the developmental ranks in the 2017 Foundation Cup.
“Nagkaroon talaga kami ng problema noong hindi healthy ‘yung players pero masaya kami na kumpleto kami,” said head coach Yong Garcia. “Ang importante, naipakita naming maganda ang itatakbo ng team.”
CEU, on the other hand, relied on Jhomel Ancheta’s 12 points and Lenard Santiago’s double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
The Scores:
Marinerong Pilipino 75 — Gomez de Liano 17, Go 17, Gamboa 13, Nocum 12, Bonifacio 6, Soberano 3, Hernandez 3, Pido 2, Carino 2, Manlangit 0.
CEU 66 — Ancheta 12, Santiago 11, Santos 10, Penano 10, Diaz 9, Balogun 6, Tolentino 4, Ferrer 2, Borromeo 2, Bernabe 0, Cabotaje 0, Malicana 0.
Quarterscores: 19-11, 37-29, 48-41, 75-66.
