La Salle-Ecooil dominated the undermanned Centro Escolar University side in Game 1, winning 98-72, and moved to the brink of a three-peat feat in the 2024 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup on Monday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Green Archers capitalized on the absence of Abdul-Wahab Olusesi, who missed the match due to a left knee sprain, by racing to a 23-9 start, setting the tempo in the 26-point blowout victory.
With its eighth win in as many games, La Salle now has a strong chance to complete a perfect championship run in Game 2 on Thursday for a hat-trick that would cement the franchise as the second-winningest in the PBA’s developmental ranks. NLEX holds six championships, including four consecutive titles from 2011 to 2013.
“CEU was riding a lot of momentum. Beating San Beda is a huge achievement for their program, so I told the players that CEU would come out with a lot of confidence, with or without Olusesi,” said assistant coach Gian Nazario.
“We have to be prepared against them, and I think from the start, that’s what we did.”
Henry Agunanne and Jonnel Policarpio led with 17 points each, JC Macalalag added 13 points and three steals, while Raven Cortez and EJ Gollena contributed 10 points each in La Salle’s balanced offense.
La Salle had previously defeated CEU in the classifications, even with the hulking presence of Olusesi, winning 89-61. Without him, the Green Archers turned the supposedly tight finals opener into an even bigger mismatch.
By halftime, La Salle was already well ahead with a significant 54-28 lead and never let up, extending their lead to as many as 39 points, 89-50, midway through the final period.
Daniel Marcelo, Dave Bernabe, and Gabrielle Dan Gamboa each scored 10 points for CEU, which hopes to have Olusesi back in Game 2 to force a rubber match.
Olusesi injured his knee in CEU’s 78-56 win against Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda in their deciding semifinal match to advance to the finals, disrupting a projected rematch between the latter and La Salle.
The Scores:
La Salle-Ecooil 98 – Agunanne 17, Policarpio 17, Macalalag 13, Cortez 10, Gollena 10, Austria 6, Phillips 6, David 5, Alian 4, Abadam 3, Rubico 3, Gaspay 2, Buensalida 2, Marasigan 0, Romero 0.
CEU 72 – Marcelo 10, Bernabe 10, Gamboa 10, Darbin 8, Serrano 8, Santos 6, Malicana 6, Diaz 5, De Guzman 4, Guevarra 4, Benitez 1, Puray 0, Mendoza 0.
Quartescores: 23-9, 54-28, 79-45, 98-72.
