Gems start strong, smother Warriors

Games Monday (JCSGO Gym) 

1 p.m. – Café France vs Tanduay Light

3 p.m. – Hapee vs Jumbo Plastic

MANILA, Philippines - Cebuana Lhuillier imposed its will early and ran away with a 118-78 romp over MP Hotel to wrest the early lead while Cagayan Valley debuted with a tough 75-70 victory over AMA University in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City yesterday.

The Gems used a dominant first half performance to whip the young Warriors to pose their second straight win after snatching a thrilling 86-85 victory over the Café France Bakers last Monday.

Kera Mix hit seven triples in the second half and went on to blast ATC Liver Marin-San Sebastian College, 89-71, to gain a share of the lead with Cebuana. 

The Mixers opened a 28-13 lead in the first quarter but needed a run of threes in the second half to repel Liver Marin’s third quarter charge and notch their second straight win. 

The game was marred by a scuffle between Kera Mix’s Raymond Jamito and Liver Marin’s Choi Ignacio late in the third quarter with the former getting ejected for a second flagrant foul 1.

Luis Sinco and Jeff Viernes each scored 12 points for the Mixers, who went nine of 30 from 3-point range.

Jamil Ortuoste tallied 18 points and Jovit dela Cruz added 14 for the Liver Wonders, who dropped to 0-2.

“What’s important about this win is that the chemistry was there, the selflessness was there, the sacrifice was there. Mo (Tautuaa) didn’t score much but the leadership was there,” said Cebuana coach Boyzie Zamar.

Tautuaa, who scored the marginal basket in their previous win, finished with 11 points as Jackson Corpuz took charge early and finished with 26 points and Norberto Torres and Almond Vosotros chipped in 15 points apiece.

Cebuana poured in 30 points in the opening quarter while holding MP Hotel to just 13 points to set the tone for the rout. 

Corpuz added nine rebounds and four steals in 22 minutes of play. The Gems also dominated the glass, 40-33, that netted them a 54-26 edge on points in the paint.

Jopher Custodio scored 17 points off the bench for the Warriors, who trailed by as many as 42 points, 76-118, on their way to their second straight defeat.

Earlier, Abel Galliguez shot all his 16 points in the fourth quarter as the Rising Suns quelled the Titans series of rallies to escape with a five-point win.

After going scoreless through three quarters, Galliguez hit his stride and scored all but four of his team’s 20 points in the last 10 minutes of play, boosting the Rising Suns’ strong windup after the Titans threatened at 68-72 on a three-point play by Jay-R Taganas with under-three minutes left.

Galliguez went 6 of 8 from the field in the last 10 minutes, including 3 of 5 from three-point range.

AMA kept the game close for three quarters but couldn’t gain any headway due to sloppy shooting. The Titans shot a woeful 36 percent from the field (26 of 72) and 12 of 25 from the line.

Marcy Arellano picked up his offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter to spark AMA’s comeback that was stymied by a series of turnovers. The Titans committed eight of the 26 turnovers in the fourth.