Hapee’s Garvo Lanete on the attack. PBA Images/Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines — Too eager at the start, Hapee settled down in the second half to oust Cafe France, 69-56, and make the finals of the 2015 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Monday at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Ray Parks was all over the floor to finish with 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block for the Fresh Fighters, who completed a semifinals sweep of the Bakers.
“I thought the players were to excited at the start and I felt Cafe France took advantage of that because they are more experienced in playing here in the D-League,” said Hapee head coach Ronnie Magsanoc.
Hapee will clash with either No.1 Cagayan Valley or Cebuana Lhuillier in another best-of-three in the championship. The Rising Suns, the only team to beat the Fresh Fighters so far, forced a Game 3 on Thursday with a 98-93 win earlier.
But it was a different Hapee team in the last two quarters — more like the same squad who blasted the Bakers in Game 1, 74-58, last Thursday—and the result was another rout.
Hapee outscored Cafe France, 18-9, in the third quarter where Garvo Lanete, who bagged the MVP plum while playing for NLEX last year, fired eight of his 12 points. Nigerian center Ola Adeogun also had 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field.
“Gabo (Lanete) is the veteran leader. He is a proven MVP in this league. When the going gets tough, we will bank on him, Ray and Kirk (Long),” said Magsanoc.
The Fresh Fighters shot 49% from the field while also holding the Bakers to only 32%.
Samboy de Leon had an impressive first half with 15 points for Cafe France, which took a 36-35 edge at the half, but was held scoreless the rest of the way.
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