Hawkeyes foil Tile Masters, clinch No. 1

MANILA, Philippines - Cignal-San Beda squandered an early 12-point lead but charged back in the fourth quarter to down Racal, 96-86, and gain the top seeding in the playoffs of the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao yesterday.

Jayvee Mocon fired eight points while Pamboy Raymundo, Robert Bolick and Jason Perkins combined for eight markers in a pivotal stretch as the Hawkeyes pulled away at 94-82 to close out their elims campaign with their eighth straight victory.

Perkins logged a game-high 25 points, Mocon came through with 18 markers while Raymundo contributed 10 points for Cignal, which dropped its opening game match but swept the next eight to clinch the top seeding in the semis.

Jackson Corpuz, who fouled out in the last 1:16, finished with 20 markers, while Kent Salado chipped in 18 points for Racal, which fought back from 3-15 down in the early going to seize control at 68-61. The Tile Masters settled for No. 2 with a 7-2 card.

“We really wanted to bring positive attitude going to the semis. We really wanted to win this game because we wanted to test the character of my players,” said Cignal coach Boyet Fernandez.

“We’re up early, we lost the lead but then again they stepped up their game in the third and we recovered and won this ballgame,” added Fernandez.

Earlier, Batangas closed out its maiden campaign in the league with a shock 91-69 rout of title contender Cafe France in a non-bearing match.

Dan Sara took charge in the early going then Joseph Sedurifa took over in the fourth as the Batangueños cashed in on the Bakers’ listless stint to notch their fourth victory against five defeats.

Sara poured all of his 16 points in the first two quarters, while Sedurifa drilled 11 of his 16 markers in the last 10 mimutes, on top of 11 boards and six assists as Batangas finished seventh in a field of 10.