Games Tuesday (Arellano gym)
12 noon – Banco de Oro vs Jumbo Plastic
2 p.m. – Boracay Rum vs Derulo Accerelo
4 p.m. – Cagayan Valley vs Zambales M-Builders
MANILA, Philippines - Don Trollano made an explosive PBA D-League debut, firing a game-high 22 points and hauling down 11 rebounds as Cagayan Valley romped off to an 83-74 victory over Café France at the start of the Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City yesterday.
The Rising Suns’ first round pick scattered all but three of his total output in the second half as Cagayan Valley held off a strong rally by the Bakers in the stretch to pound out the victory.
“He stepped up when we needed him most and he was big in the fourth quarter when Café France made a big run,†said Cagayan Valley coach Alvin Pua of his shooting guard.
The Rising Suns actually showed up without five of their players who were still playing in the NCAA and are barred from joining the team until after the season.
But the rest proved up to the task with Andrian Celada scoring 20 points. Mark Bringas adding 11 points and John Foronda chipping 10 markers for the Rising Suns, who got away with the win despite yielding the boards, 50-58 and committing 25 turnovers.
“We still had a lot of room for improvement,†said Pua.
Ping Eximiniano scored 16 points while Josan Nimes and Eloy Poligrates had 14 apiece for Café France.
The Bakers tied the game at 68 on a basket by Poligrates with 4:19 left in the fourth quarter but the Rising Suns outscored Café France, 15-6, to regain control en route to victory.
Jett Vidal fired four three-pointers in the last six minutes as Zambales M-Builders rallied past Derulo Accelero, 79-73, in the second game.
Vidal’s string of triples highlighted the Buildders’ stirring 22-9 closing run as they wiped out a 56-64 deficit to hack out the victory.
Vidal finished with 21 points while Mike Tolomia had 20 points and Bryan Cruz added 10 markers for the Builders, who made six of 11 treys in the fourth.
Derulo Accelero, a team built around UP players, took an eight-point lead with 6:23 left to play on a basket by King Importante but failed to neutralize the Builders’ fiery windup.