Derby Ace outlasts Meralco in overtime

MANILA, Philippines - Peter June Simon sizzled with 35 points but reigning titlist B-MEG Derby Ace still needed two extension plays to hold off Meralco Bolts, 106-97, last night in the opener of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-three quarterfinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.

Simon put in four points in second overtime and Roger Yap provided a big help coming off the bench as the Llamados eventually fended off the B-Boys’ tough challenge to move within a win of the semifinal round.

“We’ve got a foot in the semis but we still have to work hard to also get the other foot inside,” said Derby Ace coach Jorge Gallent.

“As everyone saw tonight, we really need to play 48 minutes of aggressive basketball to win. We played the way we should in the first half but became reluctant in the second half,” Gallent added

The Llamados squandered a 16-point third-quarter spread and faced disaster in regulation play and in the first OT.

But they reestablished control and eventually secured the win as Simon and Roger Yap gave them a 100-92 lead with time down to 1:16. 

Gabby Espinas swatted away a layup by Simon at the buzzer to send the game into overtime at 87-all.

The contest went into second OT as Meralco took a four-point lead at 91-87 but went scoreless in the next two minutes of play. Macmac Cardona missed a trey at the buzzer.

It’s the B-Boys’ fifth overtime in three nights, having fought and won a triple-overtime thriller over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Wednesday.

Simon more than made up for his suspension in their last game as he went 14-of-22 from the field and 5-of-7 from the stripe while also coming through with four rebounds and an assist in a solid 49-minute job.

James Yap added 27 points while Jonas Villanueva chipped in 18.

“We survived on the big shots of our guards,” said Gallent.

Cardona also had an explosive game with 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The big downside was his 11 errors.

The former La Salle stalwart committed seven turnovers in the opening quarter alone, and Derby Ace cashed in on it to take the early initiative. 

The Llamados dominated through first three quarters but Espinas and Cardona fuelled a decisive charge allowing Meralco to get into the battle in the crunch.

The B-Boys, who trailed by 16 at 36-52, even took an 87-86 edge on a three-pointer by Cardona with 41 seconds left in regulation.

The Llamados, however, drew level at 87-all on a charity by James Yap 11 seconds later.

In a similar gripping battle later in the night, Alaska Milk, drawing a career-best 30 points from Joe De Vance, outlasted Barangay Ginebra, 104-101, for the 1-0 lead in their own best-of-three quarters duel.

“It’s nice to win a game in the fourth quarter. We finally got one this conference and it came at the right time,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.