Janus Lozada of Big Chill (dark) vs Kevin Ferrer of Blackwater (light). PBA D-LEAGUE IMAGE by Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines — Big Chill leaned on a collective effort to knock off Blackwater, 89-78, and arrange a finals duel with defending champion NLEX in the 2014 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Janus Lozada led the way with 21 points for the Superchargers, who led by as much as 14 in the fourth quarter and never let up.
“Our defense worked. Blackwater wasn’t able to set up and at the same time we were ready for their zone,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison.
“It was an overall team effort offensively and defensively. I’m really proud of my players.”
Big Chill and NLEX met in the finals before with the Road Warriors sweeping their way to a title and the two teams get to do it again with their best-of-three championship starting on Sunday, 1 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals tips off.
Reil Cervates added 18 points for the Superchargers, who trailed in the series 1-0 before bundling out the resurgent Elite with back-to-back wins.
The Superchargers had six players scoring at least eight points. Starting playmaker Brian Heruela wasn’t among the six players but he still had his fingerprints all over Big Chill’s win with 10 rebounds and nine assists
Jericho Cruz scored 21 points for last conference’s champion Blackwater, who hurdled four knockout games but just didn’t have much left to pull off a fifth one that could’ve setup a finals rematch with NLEX.
“Sobrang malakas talaga sila (they’re really strong) we have to triple our effort. It’s going to be a very tough mountain to claim but nothing is impossible,” said Sison of NLEX, which cruised its way into the championship round with a sweep of Hog’s Breath in the other semifinals matchup.