Welcoat topples Shark, boosts bid

Jojo Manalo spearheaded a pivotal fourth quarter run as Welcoat Paints overcame its fear of Shark Energy Drink with a 71-66 victory yesterday in the PBL Chairman’s Cup at the Makati Coliseum.

Manalo sizzled with 12 of his 15 points in the final quarter including 10 in an 11-1 blast that gave them back the lead, 62-57, and the momentum to hold on to the Paint Masters’ seventh win in 10 outings.

It also ended Welcoat’s three-game humbling loss to Shark dating back to their epic best-of-seven Challenge Championship duel in February of this year when they lost Games 6 and 7 and one at the start of the conference, 75-63.

"This is an important victory for us because it not only boosted our semifinal chances, we also gained some sort of psychological boost against Shark," said Welcoat coach Junel Baculi.

Sophomore Ervin Sotto and Warren Ybañes had conference highs but Shark’s reliable Gilbert Malabanan, Chester Tolomia and Rysal Castro were held to a combined 23 points, enough to give the Power Boosters their second loss against nine wins.

Osaka Iridology sent rival Ateneo-Pioneer Insurance deep down the standing with a 67-54 rout in a no-bearing quarterfinal round earlier.

All it took was a Rommel Daep explosion late in the third quarter, smashing a deadlock at 37 and igniting a series of runs that blew the game out of reach.

It was Osaka’s second straight triumph after its 64-53 scuttling of Montana Panwshop Thursday that ended a nine-game losing skein, thanks to Daep’s endgame heroics.

Daep ended up the top scorer for the Iridologists with 13, seven in that pivotal third quarter blast and a pair of three-pointers at the start of the final canto that put the game away.

"We’re too late the hero but we’re glad we’re winning," said Osaka coach Franz Pumaren, who steered the La Salle Green Archers to three straight UAAP seniors cage title.

The Insurers’ threesome of Reiner Sison, Enrico Villanueva and Richard Alvarez were in their usual elements but lacked the support as none of the teammates scored five points or more, ending Ateneo-Pioneer’s campaign this conference with a 2-10 slate.