PBA D-League: Giants hold off Bakers for 2-0 start

Jan Colina of Jumbo Plastic (light) vs Rod Ebondo of Cafe France (dark). PBA D-LEAGUE IMAGE by Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines — Jumbo Plastic averted a late game collapse as it weathered a fourth quarter storm by Cafe France for a 74-70 win in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Monday at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao.

The Giants, who gained a share of the early lead in the standings with the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns at 2-0, took a 17-point lead in the third quarter but still needed to lean on ex-PBA player Jason Ballesteros down the stretch to come out on top.

“The players became too confident after building a big lead and they relaxed,” said Jumbo Plastic coach Stevenson Tiu. “But games like this will help us gain experience.”

The six-foot-eight Ballesteros provided five of his team’s final seven points en route to a 13-point, 14 rebound and three-block effort.

Jan Colina made his presence felt with 14 points, four assists and a block in a game-high 33 minutes for Jumbo Plastic, which got off to a fast start as it led, 20-5, at the end of the first quarter.

Elliot Tan also had 14 points to go along with four rebounds and five assists.

Eliud Poligrates, who was taken by Talk ‘N Text late during Sunday night’s PBA Draft, scored 10 of his game-high 19 points in the final period but shot just five-of-17 from the field as the Bakers fell to 1-2.

Cafe France still found itself with a chance to steal the game at one point despite shooting atrociously from the field at 29.2%.