Elite nail title berth vs NLEX

BLACKWATER guard Allan Mangahas slips on the floor as he tries to drive past Boracay Rum’s Lucas Tagarda in yesterday’s game. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Blackwater Sports’ Allan Mangahas, Kevin Ferrer and Pari Llagas made sure there would be no repeat of last conference’s heartbreak.

The trio fueled Blackwater’s late push as the Elite rallied to an 82-74 victory over Boracay Rum yesterday to clinch the last title berth in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at Blue Eagle Gym in Loyola Heights.

“We wanted it,” coach Leo Isaac said of his Elite, who were seeking redemption after getting stunned by a lower-seeded team in last conference’s semifinals.

Up next for the Elite are the formidable NLEX Road Warriors, who are vying for a fifth straight crown in the best-of-three series starting at 3 p.m. tomorrow at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Mangahas, making up for a measly five-point outing in the Elite’s Game 2 loss, fired a game-high 22 in the semifinal match where the Waves had control of the middle quarters.

Llagas and Ferrer also helped shatter a 70-70 deadlock as the Elite staged a 12-4 windup.

“I think that interception of Kevin was the turning point of the game,” said Isaac.

The Elite looked in danger of yielding the series when the Waves forged a winner-take-all match with a 69-65 Game 2 win last week.

The Road Warriors secured the first title berth after sweeping Big Chill, 2-0, in their own semifinal series.

The scores:
BLACKWATER SPORTS 82—A. Mangahas 22, Celiz 14, Ferrer 11, Llagas 11, Chua 10, Bagatsing 8, Ciriacruz 4, Pe 2, Vigil 0, J. Mangahas 0, Suguitan 0.
BORACAY RUM 74—Acibar 16, Viernes 16, Sabellina 12, Fernandez 8, Taha 8, Siruma 5, Rosopa 5, Arellano 2, Eguillos 1, Ilagan 1, Pasculado 0, Tagarda 0.
Quarters: 18-14, 34-37, 55-58, 82-74