Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Rod Ebondo shines, Isaiah Austin finishes as Chooks-to-Go weathers NLEX-SCTEX in tune-up


Rod Ebondo and Isaiah Austin impressed the most as Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas displayed commendable composure down the stretch to survive the NLEX-SCTEX Road Warriors, 95-83, in a tune-up Saturday night at the Meralco Gym in Pasig.

The exhibition serves as part of Chooks-to-Go’s and NLEX-SCTEX’s preparations for the 2017 FIBA Asia Champions Cup and 2017 Merlion Cup respectively.

The six-foot-six Ebondo topbilled for Chooks with 26 big points, with 15 coming from the second quarter, where Chooks pulled away wide by as much as 17, 45-28, after his perfect shots from the charity stripe with 3:34 remaining.

But the Road Warriors melted the huge lead and rallied back late in the second half. They closed in by a mere two possessions, 81-86, after Chris Sumalinog’s triple from the left wing with 3:34 left in the final period.

Austin then took matters into his own hands to weather Cignal’s crawl-back. He scored the final six points of Chooks inside the game’s last two minutes, enough to hold off the Road Warriors.

Jason Perkins, who was the catalyst of NLEX-SCTEX’s second half surge, powered the Merlion Cup-bound Road Warriors with 21 markers.

“Obviously ang sakit sa mata,” rued head coach Chot Reyes of the friendly, which will be their only tuneup prior to the tourney. “The players still don’t know the system and they still don’t know each other and that’s very, very difficult.

“Then we have guys that our trying out, we had a nice 15-16 point lead but we had to put the other guys who were trying out. That’s how the game went,” the mentor furthered.

#ReadMore  Kuku, T1 advance to AniMajor upper bracket finals

Playing with Ebondo and Austin were Jett Manuel, Raymar Jose, Almond Vosotros, Andre Paras, Jeric and Jeron Teng, Francis Tamsi, Achie Iñigo, JK Casiño, and Gab Banal. Chooks missed the services of Kiefer Ravena and LA Revilla due to their respective commitments.

The Scores:

Chooks to Go (95) – Ebondo 26, Austin 13, Manuel 13, Tamsi 9, Teng Jeric 7, Teng Jeron 5, Vosotros 5, Jose 5, Torres 4, Casiño 3, Iñigo 2, Banal 0, Paras 0.

Quarterscores: 30-20, 53-37, 74-62, 95-83.

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.


You May Also Like

Basketball

Ginebra avoided falling into a dangerous situation as it found much-needed solutions to decipher TNT, 85-73, and take Game 3 of the PBA Season...

Basketball

Ginebra head coach Tim Cone couldn’t offer much in the aftermath of another loss to TNT in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals,...

Basketball

TNT used a strong fourth-quarter push to repulse Barangay Ginebra, 96-84, and race to a 2-0 lead in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup...

Basketball

ANTIPOLO — Jayson Castro proved pivotal yet again as TNT methodically tore apart Barangay Ginebra, 104-88, to draw first blood in the PBA Season...

Basketball

Tim Cone and Chot Reyes basically grew up together in coaching that it may sound like an understatement to say that they’re familiar with...

Basketball

The PBA will donate all proceeds of the Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals opener between TNT and Ginebra to the victims of Typhoon Kristine....

Basketball

ANTIPOLO – TNT took care of business and finished off Rain or Shine, 113-95, to formalize its return to the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals,...

Basketball

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson did everything yet again to tow TNT past Rain or Shine, 81-79, to move one win away from securing a return trip...

Advertisement