Big Chill, Cebuana seek piece of PBA D-League lead

MANILA, Philippines — Big Chill and Cebuana Lhuillier try to regain a piece of the lead Monday against two contenders still to crash the winner’s row in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at JCSGO gym in Cubao.

The Superchargers take on Blackwater Sports, the defending champion which surprisingly dropped their first two assignments, in the 4 p.m. duel while the Gems tangle with Cagayan Valley earlier at 2.

Jumbo Plastic eyes back-to-back wins versus Derulo Accelero at 12 noon. Victories by the Superchargers and the Gems will put them back on top with NLEX, the leader in the 10-team field with a 3-0 card.

“Knowing where they’re coming from, they can’t afford to lose,” said Big Chill coach Robert Sison of Blackwater. “But we can’t afford to lose also, so we have to really work hard for it.”

Big Chill, though, has to deal with its former standout Reil Cervantes, who joined the Elite just a conference after he helped power the Superchargers to the title round.

“We definitely need to clamp down on him,” Sison said of Cervantes, who was also an MVP candidate last conference.

Despite Cervantes’ transfer, the Superchargers had no problem filling in the void as shown last week when Rodney Brondial posted a double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds to lead them to a 72-66 victory over the Rising Suns. “We have to be consistent,” said Sison.

But the Elite hope Cervantes keeps his temper in check this time after serving a one-game suspension for punching NLEX’s Ola Adeogun in their first game.

The Rising Suns, meanwhile, hope to avoid another endgame collapse after blowing big leads in their first two losses.

“I expect them to be motivated when we play them,” Gems coach Boycie Zamar said of the Rising Suns, one of the four teams still winless two weeks into the tournament. “Hopefully, we could match their intensity.””