Maclean Sabellina (light jersey) of Boracay Rum towers over Jimbo Aquino as he leads his team to victory. PBA/NUKI SABIO
MANILA, Philippines – Maclean Sabellina delivered the final blows as Boracay Rum knocked off EA Regen 71-68 to make the semifinals for the first time Tuesday in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Blue Eagles Gym inside the Ateneo de Manila campus.
Sabellina made the go-ahead bucket 69-68 with 31.4 seconds left before making two free throws with 8.1 ticks remaining that gave the Waves a three-point cushion as the Delta missed a couple of three-point tries as time ran out.
“I just told the boys this is it,” said Boracay Rum head coach Lawrence Chongson. “Pagpapaabutin pa natin ng Huwebes ‘to tatagilid pa kami.”
“Alam namin kung saan sila pupunta, sa amin hindi nila alam. Wala nga kaming star sa team namin.”
The six-foot-four Sabellina though, played like a star with 19 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
Jimbo Aquino, a former draft pick by Barangay Ginebra, had 17 points, including a triple that knotted the count at 67 with 1:21 remaining. Aquino though, missed a trey from the right wing in the final eight seconds that would’ve forced overtime.
“We didn’t succumb to the pressure. Ginigil ko talaga sila (my players) before the game, kulang na lang kainin nila sila Sangalang.”
Raymond Almazan added 14 points and 16 rebounds while Ian Sangalang had 10 and nine.
Boracay Rum set up a semifinals date with Blackwater Sports, which earned an outright Final Four berth along with NLEX after finishing the elimination round as the top two teams.
“Nandito na kami, lulubus-lubusin na namin. Paaabutin na namin sa Finals,” added Chongson.