NLEX melts Big Chill, nails PBA D-League title

Kevin Alas of NLEX goes hard to the basket against Brian Huruela of Big Chill. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

MANILA, Philippines — NLEX made sure the PBA D-League championship wouldn’t slip away this time.

Just a conference after a finals heartbreaker, the Road Warriors blasted Big Chill, 88-70, to reclaim the crown with a 2-0 sweep of the Aspirants Cup title series Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Road Warriors captured their fifth championship with Jake Pascual and conference MVP Garvo Lanete spearheading a pivotal second-half outburst in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.

“I’m just happy we got this redemption,” coach Boyet Fernandez said of his Road Warriors, who surprisingly lost the crown to Blackwater Sports last year after reigning in the first four conferences.

“We got swept [by Blackwater] and now we came back and swept the other teams. But we’re not taking anything away from Big Chill. They really prepared for us and fought hard in the first half. But my boys didn’t want to lose this ball game.”

Indeed, the Road Warriors looked like they couldn’t wait to celebrate as they staged a furious 31-13 run after the break to build a 20-point buffer, 72-52, from a slim 41-39 advantage.

Pascual buried 11 of his 17 points in the second half on top of 15 rebounds and four blocks to power the Road Warriors in a dominant second half.

Adeogun also had a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards.

The scores:

NLEX 88—J. Pacual 17, Adeogun 12, Lanete 10, Dela Cruz 9, Ganuelas 8, Alas 8, Dela Rosa 7, R. Pascual 7, K. Pascual 4, Long 3, Hermida 3, Raymundo 0.

BIG CHILL 70—Maiquez 18, Apinan 10, Baloria 9, Heruela 9, Cervantes 5, Mirza 5, Belleza 5, Brondial 5, Lozada 3, Canlas 1, Villahermosa 0, Santos 0, Miranda 0.

Quarters: 21-22, 41-39, 72-52, 88-70