NLEX slams Big Chill, completes elims sweep

Games Monday (Meralco Gym, Ortigas Ave., Pasig City)

2 p.m. – Hog’s Breath Café vs Cagayan Valley

4 p.m. – Cebuana Lhuillier vs Blackwater Sports

MANILA, Philippines - The NLEX Road Warriors continued  their dominance over Big Chill Superchargers, closing out their elimination round assignment in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup with a 70-58 victory to stay unbeaten in nine games.

Jake Pascual scored 16 points and Kevin Alas had 15 for the Road Warriors, who never trailed the entire game.

“Our goal is to finish in the top two at the end of the elimination round. Whether we could keep the streak going I don’t know. If it happens, then it happens.  I don’t want to pressure my players. Right now we’re just taking one game at a time,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

Their outstanding performance in the single elimination round earned the five-time champions an outright semifinal berth and the luxury of a well-deserved rest before resuming their campaign.

“We really needed a break at this point. It will give us time to refresh and prepare for the next challenge against whoever it would be,” Fernandez said.

In the second game, Gio Ciriacruz scored 17 points to lead five players in double figures as defending champion Blackwater Sports edged Café France, 69-67, in the second game.

They played sloppy on both ends but hung on in the closing minutes, holding the Bakers without a field goal in the last 2:32.

“We played a lousy game. We know the importance and implications of the game but some guys just showed up here. Good thing we managed to hang in there,” said Blackwater Sports coach Leo Isaac.

“Our vets, Reil (Cervantes), Gio (Ciriacruz), Kevin (Ferrer) and Jericho (Cruz) bailed us out.”

Cervantes finished with 12 while Mark Cruz, Ferrer and Jericho Cruz had 10 apiece for the Elite, who secured a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals with a 5-3 record that earned a tie with idle Cebuana Lhuillier and Jumbo Plastic at second place.

As things stand now, Blacakwater Sports gets a chance to clinch the second outright semifinals spot if it wins by 11 points against Cebuana Lhuillier on Monday.

Alvin Abundo scored 11 points for Café France which fell to 3-5 and out of contention for a quarterfinal berth.

Alas stepped up big in the first half. He scored 14 points on 4 of 6 shooting and got a lot of help from the reserves as NLEX took control early and built several double digit leads.

The energetic guard completed a three-point play and 6-foot-9 center Ola Adeogun made three free throws during a 6-0 run to give the Road Warriors their biggest lead of the game at 38-22 late in the second quarter.