MANILA, Philippines – Staying atop the league , albeit a few hiccups, is the Cagayan Valley Rising Suns as they held on against the Tanduay Rum Masters, 81-74, in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Thursday evening at the JCSGO Gym.
Cagayan managed to build a huge-enough lead going into the end game as Tanduay ground it out with the league-leaders in the fourth cutting a 32-point lead to just six with less than a minute remaining.
Lucas Tagarda nailed a booming three-pointer with 50.8 seconds remaining to make it 80-74 but Cagayan’s lead was just too big to take down.
Cagayan assistant coach Nonoy Bonleon said his team lacked the intensity and the killer instinct, especially when they built a huge lead.
“They don’t have that killer instinct, when they build a huge lead they tend to relax and become complacent,” Bonleon said as his team tied Hapee with a 9-0 standing.
“They relaxed and that’s why Tanduay nearly caught up.”
With the 9-0 card, Cagayan is set for its first ever semifinals bye even with two more games remaining.
Cagayan’s Adrian Celada led all scorers with 16 while Fil-Tongan Moala Tautuaa had a 12-point 10-rebound double-double.
Aljon Mariano and Jaypee Belencion had 13 points apiece for the 4-6 Tanduay.