Rios late game heroics send Hog’s past Big Chill

MANILA, Philippines - Jensen Rios scored all his 18 points in the fourth quarter as Hog’s Breath Café rallied and beat Big Chill, 84-68, on Thursday in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the San Juan Arena.

After a scoreless three quarters on 0-4 shooting, Rios picked up his offensive rhythm in the last eight minutes to help the Razorbacks claw back from an eight-point deficit entering the fourth quarter.

Hog’s Breath Café outscored Big Chill, 35-11, in the fourth to improve to 10-3 (win-loss) record at the close of the elimination round.

Rios made 6 of 8 attempts in the fourth quarter including 3 for 3 from 3-point range.

“We just got lucky in the end,” said Hog’s Breath Café coach Caloy Garcia. “Coming into the game I just told my players to have fun. But we also want to enter the quarterfinals coming off a win.”  

The quarterfinals start Tuesday with the fourth seeded Razorbacks enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage against the No. 5 Cagayan Valley Rising Suns.

“Our attention in this game is focused on rebounding. It’s our weakest spot so I told the players be aggressive off the boards. I thought we did well,” Garcia said.

Rios also pulled down 10 boards as the Razorbacks matched Big Chill’s 54 rebounds.

Big Chill’s loss spoiled its aspiration to clinch top seeding. That distinction went to defending champion NLEX which manhandled Zambales M-Builders, 125-61, in the other game.

NLEX and Big Chill finished the elimination round with 11-2 marks but the Road Warriors secured the No. 1 spot for beating Big Chill, 97-88, last Dec. 2.

Borgie Hermida scored 18 points to lead six NLEX players in double figures. NLEX’s total output and margin of victory were both league records.

The Builders, which lost their last 10 games, finished with a 2-11 mark.

Philip Paniamogan and Jonathan Belorio scored 10 apiece for Hog’s Breath Café, which opened the fourth quarter with a 17-2 run.

Rios capped that run with nine straight points including successive 3s that gave the Razorbacks a 66-59 lead.

Reil Cervantes scored 17 points while Rodney Brondial had 14 and 18 rebounds for Big Chill, which led 57-49 at the end of the third quarter but shot a horrendous 16.7 (4 of 24) in the fourth quarter.

Big Chill pulled within 63-69 on two free throws by Cervantes with 4:29 to play but the Razorbacks quickly responded with eight straight points to put the game away.