INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines—Harbour Centre went on a late run anchored on Jason Castro and TY Tang to rally past Noosa Shoes, 76-71, and stretch its unbeaten run to 12 games in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup Tuesday at the Muntinlupa Sports Center.

“We’ve just been playing good basketball for the last 12 games, hopefully we’ll keep it up,” said coach Jorge Gallent following the victory that assured Batang Pier of the top spot in the Final Four.

Castro registered a conference-low of seven points, but nailed the key baskets for Batang Pier in the final four minutes, including a three-point play that snapped a 64 deadlock for a 67-64 lead.

“Jason made up for it (his poor start) in the end,” noted Gallent, whose wards bucked the absence of starting center Beau Belga, who is serving a three-game suspension for collecting five technical fouls in the tournament.

Gallent also credited Fil-Am guard Solomon Mercado’s defense on Noy Javier, who was held to six points in the second half.

The Shoe Stars stayed ahead at 57-53, before Batang Pier closed the third period with eight unanswered points for a 61-57 edge.

The Shoe Stars, who fell to 6-8, missed all but one attempt from the field in the last four minutes.

Hapee also nailed a semifinal slot by repulsing San Mig Coffee in a fight-marred 72-68 victory in the other match.

Both squads played without their head coaches in the second half after Hapee’s Louie Alas and San Mig’s Koy Banal got ejected for engaging in a verbal confrontation that stemmed from a technical foul slapped on Larry Rodriguez just before halftime.

Harbour Centre and Hapee earned outright semifinal stints as incentives for securing the top two spots in the elimination round. The rest of the field will duke it out in the quarterfinals for the last two semifinal berths.

The Complete Protectors improved to 9-4.

Gabe Norwood starred anew by firing 17 points—including two free throws off a Glen Bolocon foul for a 69-67 lead—aside from collecting 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and a block.

The scores:

First Game

HARBOUR CENTRE 76—Gaco 15, Vergara 11, Tang 9, Alonzo 8, Castro 7, Mercado 6, Asoro 6, Chan 5, Gamboa 5, Fernandez 4, Ababou 0, Malabanan 0.
NOOSA SHOES 71—Javier 23, Serios 19, Dela Peña 13, Robles 8, Mangahas 5, Celada 2, Evangelista 1, Burtscher 0, Vizcarra 0.
Quarters:15-27, 40-38, 61-57, 76-71

Second Game

HAPEE 72—Norwood 17, Cruz 13, Borboran 12, Daa 6, Rodriguez 6, Mercado 5, Viray 5, Juntilla 4, Tan 3, Saguindel 1, Ranises 0.
SAN MIG COFFEE 68—Custodio 18, Rañeses 13, Saldua 10, Dela Cuesta 9, Alcaraz 5, Arao 4, Losentes 3, Dalafu 2, Del Rosario 2, Bolocon 1, Solis 1, Mabayo 0, Balneg 0.
Quarters: 15-24, 41-32, 51-51, 72-68