Cafe France strengthens bid for semis, downs Cebuana in OT

MANILA, Philippines – Looking at a possible semis bye, the Cafe France Bakers took the luster out of the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems 67-62 in the elimination stages of the PBA D-League Thursday afternoon at the JCSGO Gym.

With a very narrow two-point advantage, 62-61, late in overtime, Maverick Ahanmisi found a cutting Jamieson Cortez and dished out a short pass to the big man who laid it in 64-61 with around a minute remaining.

Ahanmisi calmly sank two free-throws to give Cafe France a four-point bubble, 66-62, with 22.1 remaining.

Cafe France head coach Edgar Macaraya said it is still possible for them to get an outright semifinals berth in the Aspirants’ Cup.

“We have to win the next two games, and if ever we get that semis spot, it would be a first for the team,” Macaraya said as his team notched a 7-2 win-loss slate, good for third in the standings.

Hapee (9-0), which is loaded with supreme college talents, and Cagayan (8-0), with Moala Tautuaa on its helm, are the two teams ahead of Cafe France.

“They played really well, they never gave up. All the credit goes to them,” Macaraya said.

Down one with 1:53 remaining, Ahanmisi swished in a three-pointer in transition to give the Bakers a 56-54 lead.

Paul Zamar, however, hit a pair of charities after Rodney de Leon fouled him on a three-point attempt to make it 56-56 and send the game to overtime.

Ahanmisi paced the Bakers with 16 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Rodrigue Ebondo had a 13-point 13-rebound double-double for Cafe France with De Leon getting to a near one with 11 points and nine rebounds.

Zamar had 19 points for the 5th place Cebuana with a 4-4 record.