But while Bull-strong JR Quiñahan and Kevin dela Peña made clutch baskets down the stretch, the Snackmasters needed to put up a resolute defense to stop the Port Masters on their tracks and avenge their heart-breaking defeat in the first round.
The 6-foot-5 Quiñahan proved unstoppable in the payoff period as he tallied 11 of his team-high 18 points that helped the Snackmasters recover from a 12-point deficit.
With the win, their seventh in 13 games, the Snackmasters enhanced their bid for one of two twice-to-beat privileges in the next round. The loss, meantime, dampened Harbour’s Centre’s own bid as they slipped to 5-7.
In the other game, Magnolia Ice Cream finally posted its first back-to-back wins since winning the Heroes Cup last February by turning back Hapee-PCU, 64-62, to level its record to 6-6.