Bakers smother Delta, share lead

Games Monday (San Juan Arena)

12 noon – Cagayan Valley vs Big Chill

2 p.m. – Informatics vs Cebuana Lhuillier

4 p.m. – Hog’s Breath vs Boracay

MANILA, Philippines - Café France drew a combined 41-point output from Michael Parala and Mike Silungan as it thumped EA Regen Med, 107-92, to gain a share of the lead with idle Blackwater Sports in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at JCGSO gym in Cubao yesterday.

Parala tallied 21 points while Silungan scored 20 markers and dished off six assists to power the Bakers to their fourth victory against a loss to tie the Elite at the helm as Cagayan Valley knocked off erstwhile unbeaten solo leader Fruitas with an 80-74 victory in the other game.

Alvin Abundo scored 15 points, Marion Magat contributed 11 points he highlighted with three slams, while Alfred Batino and Ryan Gallardo added 10 markers apiece for the Bakers.

“We expect our games to become tougher because all the teams are starting to make a push for playoff positions,” said Café France mentor Egay Macaraya.

The Bakers dominated Team Delta in the first half but wavered in the third and saw their 60-54 halftime lead wipe out in just a little over a minute in the period.

But Parala scored seven straight points to spark a 28-16 run that gave the Bakers an 88-78 lead going into the fourth.

Jimbo Aquino hit 22 points and Ian Sanggalang added 18 markers for EA Regen Med, which dropped to 1-2.

Meanwhile, diminutive Eliud Poligrates came up big by firing a career-high 29 points as Cagayan Valley snapped Fruitas’ streak while NLEX wheeled back into contention with a 106-84 rout of Boracay Rum.

Poligrates, a rugged 5-foot guard from Cebu City, made 13 of 20 shots from the field, highlighted by successive transition baskets down the stretch to frustrate the rallying Shakers while powering the Rising Suns to their third win against a loss in a tie with their victims at second. 

“Poli’s very confident with his game and he showed it today. He made all his defenders a target shooting,” said Cagayan coach Alvin Pua.

“But this victory is a team effort. I thought we did great defensively and the players executed our game plan the way it should be,” he added.

Fruitas, which swept its first three matches, took a 65-63 on a basket by Roger Pogoy and a free throw by Carlo Lastimosa early in the fourth.

But Joshua Webb scored on a layup then made two free throws to put Cagayan back in front with 6:09 left in the contest. Bryan Cruz countered with a three-pointer to pull Fruitas to within 68-69 but the Shakers threw away two crucial possessions that led to successive baskets by Poligrates for a 73-69 Cagayan cushion with 3:04 remaining.

Fruitas’ top gun Carlo Lastimosa struggled for 12 points in the face of the Rising Suns’ tough defense as the Shakers relinquished the top spot to Blackwater Sports (4-1).