2011 PBA D-League: Freego Jeans, Blackwater enter quarterfinals
By Mark Giongco
INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Freego Jeans leaned on its explosive troika as it upset the Maynilad Water Dragons, 88-81, and move on to the quarterfinal phase of the 2011 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Thursday at the Arena in San Juan.
Eric Camson, Lester Alvarez and Alex Nuyles combined for 68 points to fend off the seemingly sluggish Maynilad squad, which is fresh from its US training.
“It’s a big opportunity for us being able to make it to the quarterfinals, I think a lot of people have counted us out ever since our 0-3 start,” said Freego coach Leo Austria.
“Slowly we are figuring it out how to win close games,” added Austria.
Freego will tangle with Cebuana Lhuiller in the quarterfinals.
Freego outscored Maynilad 26-16 for a 71-62 spread to end the third period that proved to be enough of a cushion to grind out the win.
Camson, the big man with the soft touch, had a double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds while the sharp-shooting guard Alvarez poured in 16 of his 25 markers in the second half.
Nuyles iced the game with a pair of free-throws that set the final count.
Alvarez hit six-of-11 from downtown.
Melo Lim led the Water Dragons with 15 points.
In the other playoff match, Blackwater Elite survived the Junior Powerade Tigers, 68-66.
Blackwater squandered a slew of double-digit leads before dodging a bullet in the waning seconds of the game after Powerade’s Alvin Padilla missed an open triple.
“Win by 20 or win by one, still a win is a win,” said Blackwater Elite coach Leo Isaac, whose team will face Max Bond in the quarterfinals.
Blackwater led 68-59 at the 3:03 mark of the payback period before costly errors down the stretch allowed Powerade to pull to within two, 68-66 courtesy of a putback by Mike Gamboa.
Gio Ciriacruz’ basket at the 4:03 mark of the third period extended Blackwater’s gap to its biggest, 50-36, and looked well on its way to a smooth-sailing victory.
But the Tigers had other plans as they charged to a 13-2 blitz that pulled them to within one, 51-52 to start the fourth period.
Ciriacruz led Blackwater with 21 points.
