MANILA, Philippines - Euro-Med overcame a slow start with a big run in the second half as it turned back Kama Motors, 73-71, to clinch the No. 4 spot in the quarterfinal round of the PCBL Founders Cup at the JCSGO gym Tuesday.
Pari Llagas bucked a hamstring injury and came off the bench to fire 12 points in the last two quarters to power Euro-Med to the victory for a twice-to-beat advantage in the next round.
Euro-Med will face the same Kama Motors squad in the quarters of the event backed by Ambucore, Accel, Aquabest and Spalding.
A former standout of the University of the East and a PBA free agent, Llagas didn’t see action in the first half, but stepped up when head coach Yong Garcia tapped him at resumption of play.
He pulled down seven rebounds while providing added muscle in the shaded lane for Euro-Med, which struggled for just seven points in the first period to trail by 11 points.
But Mar Villahermosa, Carl Cruz and Adrian Santos found their bearing in the second quarter as Euro-Med fought its way back to reduce the lead at 30-31 on a buzzer-beater by Paul Zamar.
Then a hobbling Llagas took over, drilling in a twinner to shove Euro-Med to its first taste of the lead and spark a 12-4 run that netted them a 42-35 lead midway in the third.
Euro-Med went 10 points up, 58-48, on a basket by Aaron Jeruta but Kama Motors refused to wilt down and battled back to within, 60-62, behind Rudy Lingganay, whose free throws touched off a 12-4 spurt by coach Aries Dimaunahan’s wards with still 3:13 left in the contest.
Llagas came through with back-to-back baskets to give Euro-Med a five-point cushion, 71-66, en route to victory and the needed momentum in the next round.