SAN Juan’s stingy defense held Boracay to a seven-point third quarter on its way to an 83-70 victory last Saturday night and complete an elimination round sweep of the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Hardworking big man Pao Javillonar notched a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, while Michael Calisaan and Egie Boy Mojica also had 10 points each.
The win came on the heels of a 71-70 squeaker over Sta. Rosa Laguna last Wednesday allowed San Juan to finish the elims with a 15-0 mark and emerge as the No. 1 seed that goes with a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals opposite No. 8 Manila.
The Islanders, coming off a 95-79 drubbing of Bagong Cabuyao-Homelab Nation last March 6, wound up with a 9-6 card for seventh and will clash with second-ranked and defending champion Davao Occidental-Cocolife in the Last 8.
The Kings take on the Citystars today at 6 p.m. the start of the quarterfinals at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Third seed Pampanga Royce battles No. 6 Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan in the curtain-raiser at 4 o’clock in the tourney presented by Dumper party-list, Winzir, and Skin Care Depot, co-presented by SCD Cosmetics, and supported by NET 25, Adcon, Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with PBA and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as Commissioner.
The Tigers-Islanders duel is set tomorrow at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center after the No. 4 Pampanga G Lanterns clash with the fifth-ranked Lions.
The top four teams after the eliminations will be armed with win-once incentives in the quarterfinals against the fifth to eight-ranked squads. The crossover semifinals will be best-of-three duels.
The finals will be a race-to-two battle.
In the other game, the G Lanterns edged Pampanga Royce 83-81.
Archie Concepcion and Louie Sangalang scored 21 points apiece for the G Lanterns, who also drew an 11-point, 14-rebound outing from Justine Baltazar.
Jaymar Gimpayan led the fight for Boracay with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while former PBA star Mac Cardona added 12.
Johnsherick Estrada and Bryan Faundo also got 11 and 10 pointes, respectively for the Islanders.
The scores
First game
SAN JUAN 83 – Javillonar 10, Calisaan 10, Mojica 10, Soberano 9, Yu 8, Calahat 7, Taywan 6, Wamar 5, Nocum 5, Panganiban 5, Marquez 5, Ubalde 3, Eguilos 0, Tajonera 0, Martel 0.
BORACAY 70 – Gimpayan 14, Cardona 12, Estrada 11, Faundo 10, Galang 6, Helterbrand 6, Hayes 4, Lasco 4, Peñaredondo 3, Sablan 0, Estacio 0, Esguerra 0.
Quarters: 24-24, 43-44, 67-51, 83-70.
Second game
PAMPANGA G LANTERNS 83 – Concepcion 21, Sangalang 21, Baltazar 11, Reyson 8, Celada 8, Jamito 7, Bautista 3, Santos 2, Binuya 2, Garcia 0, Caralipio 0, K. Santos 0, Miclat 0, Pambid 0.
PAMPANGA ROYCE HOTEL 81 – C. Flores 13, J. Flores 13, Yambing 11, Mendoza 9, Sangco 9, Tolentino 4, Baetiong 4, Gozum 3, Navarro 3, Liwag 2, Verano 2, Palencia 2, Villapando 0, Fornillos 0.
Quarters: 32-16, 46-45, 69-63, 83-81.
