Jake Pascual of NLEX (light) vs John Foronda of Cagayan (dark). Nuki Sabio/PBA
MANILA, Philippines — Guard John Pinto played big down the stretch to lift Cagayan Valley over defending champion NLEX, 78-74, in the 2014 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Pinto scored his team’s last four points, including two free throws that broke a 74-deadlock with 53.9 seconds left as the Rising Suns, who will face the Hog’s Breath Razorbacks in the quarterfinals, dealt the Road Warriors a rare defeat.
NLEX, which played without its main man Garvo Lanete due to an injury, went on a late run to knot the count at 74 with a little over a minute left before Pinto came through in the clutch for Cagayan.
The Road Warriors, who are already assured of an outright semifinals berth along with the pacesetting Big Chill Superchargers, absorbed just their second loss and will face lowly Zambales M-Builders on Thursday in the final game of their elimination round schedule.
Andrian Celada scored 18 points while Kenneth Ighalo had 14 and Pinto added 11 for the Suns, who will head to the playoffs with a 9-4 record.
Nigerian center Ola Adeogun and Jake Pascual tallied 13 points apiece while Kevin Alas chipped in 10 for NLEX.
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