Superchargers demolish Erasers, seize solo 2nd

MANILA, Philippines - Big Chill used a series of spurts bridging both halves as it wiped out Erase Xfoliant, 88-68, to seize solo second as Jose Rizal College stunned erstwhile joint second running Cagayan Valley, 103-100, in overtime in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym yesterday.

Terrence Romeo and Mar Villahermosa combined for 31 points in the second period as the Superchargers outscored the Erasers, 33-15, to turn a 15-18 deficit into a 48-33 lead which they padded to 20 at the end of the third.

Romeo finished with a game-high 21 points and Villahermosa had 19 for the Superchargers, who bounced back from two-game skid and assumed solo second place with 5-2 record.

“We want to keep step with NLEX (8-1). So this win is really huge for us. We also wanted to end the year right and with a win and we got it,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison.

Nate Matute scored 19 and Marion Gomez had 12 for the Erasers, who trailed by as many as 30 points in the in the fourth on the way to their fifth defeat in seven games.

Earlier, Philip Paniamogan tallied a career-high 26 points, including a trey that sent the game into overtime, and John Villarias hit a triple of his own in the extra period to turn back the Rising Suns.

The win was only the second in six games for the Heavy Bombers, who stayed in the hunt for a quarterfinal berth. The Rising Suns fell to 4-3.

JRU led by as many as 24 points in the second quarter and by 17 in the third but couldn’t put away the Rising Suns, who charged back behind Ping Eximiniano and Eliud Poligrates.

With the score tied at 96 with 2:26 left in overtime, Villarias (9 points) drilled the go ahead triple from way out and the Bombers built a 102-96 cushion and the Rising Suns hastened their downfall with back-to-back turnovers.