The St. Clare College Virtual Reality Saints wasted no time to crush the eight-man Centro Escolar University Scorpions, 84-50, Thursday at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig to push the 2019 PBA D-League semifinals to a deciding Game Three.
Malian center Mohammed Pare anchored the Saints’ uprising with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks. Meanwhile, Darwin Lunor came off the bench to tally 14 points and 11 boards.
St. Clare immediately took over the game, frustrating the Scorpions in the first half to erect a 23-point edge, 32-9. Their lead would balloon to as high as 34, 82-48, in the closing moments of the affair.
Joshua Fontanilla, Junjie Hallare, and Joseph Penaredondo all scored 11 points each in the win.
“Alam ko na amin na eh, kaya maga-adjust kami sa kung anong pwede pa ma-adjust at paghahandaan namin sila,” said coach Jinino Manansala.
Franz Diaz scored 17 points to pace CEU, while Kurt Sunga had 14 points and seven rebounds.
Senegalese big man Maodo Malick Diouf was limited to a measly seven points, 22 boards, and two rejections.
Game Three is on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the Finals to meet Cignal-Ateneo in the best-of-five championship affair.
The Scores:
SCC 84 — Pare 17, Lunor 14, Hallare 11, Fontanilla 11, Penaredondo 11, Rubio 7, Palencia 5, Santos 2, Rivera 2, Manacho 2, Tiquia 2, Ambulodto 0, Fuentes 0, Decano 0.
CEU 50 — Diaz 19, Sunga 14, Diouf 7, Santos 5, Guinitaran 5, Bernabe 0, Abastillas 0, Intic 0.
Quarterscores: 14-7, 36-19, 60-30, 84-50.
