KINAILANGAN ng top seed Davao Occidental-Cocolife na kumayod nang husto upang pataubin ang eighth-seed Bicol-LCC Stores sa overtime, 64-56, at maisaayos ang best-of-three semifinals showdown sa Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines sa 2020 Chooks-to-Go/MPBL Lakan Season noong Miyerkoles ng gabi sa RMC Petro Gazz Arena dito.
“Oh my gosh! Hats off to Bicol, they gave us a tough, tough game. I’m happy for my guys for playing hard, never giving in. People were fouling out, our players were injured, but they still fought on,” wika ni Tigers head coach Don Dulay.
Naglaro na wala sina Billy Robles at Jerwin Gaco sa overtime makaraang ma-foul out ang dalawa, ang Davao Occidental ay kinailangang sumandal kay Mark Yee. Si Yee ay hindi dapat maglalaro dahil na-diagnose siya na may partial right ACL tear bago ang laro.
“The doctor said that he can’t play but he told me that he wants to. What can you do? You got to let him fight,” ani Dulay.
Sinimulan ni Yee ang overtime sa kanyang trademark na hook shot. Subalit higit dito, pinangunahan ng 38-anyos ang depensa ng Tigers, kung hindi nila pinaiskor ang Volcanoes sa overtime. Ang Bicol ay 0-of-9 mula sa field sa huling limang minuto.
Tumipa si Yee ng 4 points, 6 rebounds, at 3 steals sa 18 minutong paglalaro.
Ang free throws ng mga seldom-used player tulad nina Richard Albo at Kenneth Mocon ay nakatulong din sa pagmartsa ng Tigers sa susunod na round.
“I always tell people I’m close to how special this team is. They are fighters. Even if guys like Albo, Gaco, and Mocon are not used a lot, they still show up in practice and in the game. That’s all a coach can ask for,” ani Dulay.
Naitala ni Gaco ang lahat ng kanyang 10 points sa final frame at kumalawit din ng 8 rebounds. Napasabog si Bonbon Custodio, pinunan ang pagkawala ni injured Yvan Ludovice, ng 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, at 1 steal.
Sisimulan ng Davao at Zamboanga ang kanilang serye sa Lunes, Marso 2.
Umabante ang Zamboanga sa semis nang igupo ang Batangas-Tanduay sa kanilang quarterfinals match.
Iskor:
Unang laro:
Zamboanga-Family’s Brand Sardines (69) – Arboleda 15, Asistio 12, Santillan 10, Rono 9, Pasaol 8, Bonsubre 6, Black 5, Reyes 2, Thiele 2, Manzo 0, Sollano 0.
Batangas-Tanduay (52) – Viernes 13, Eguilos 11, Santos 6, Koga 6, Lopez 5, Sara 5, Melano 4, Bragais 2, Teodoro 0, Rogado 0, Grimaldo 0.
QS: 15-17, 28-29, 43-50, 69-52.
Ikalawang laro:
Davao Occidental-Cocolife (64) – Custodio 14, Gaco 10, Calo 9, Robles 9, Albo 8, Mocon 5, Terso 4, Yee 4, Balagtas 1, Raymundo 0, Saldua 0.
Bicol-LCC Stores (56) – Ongteco 16, Alday 15, Buenafe 9, Mondragon 7, Garcia 3, Aldave 2, Gusi 2, Manalang 2, Guerrero 0, Lalata 0, Olea 0.
QS: 11-9, 26-24, 42-43, 56-56, 64-56.
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