MANILA, Philippines—Cagayan Valley looks to avoid a monumental upset against a Cebuana Lhuillier side vying to make league history as the two fight for the last championship berth Thursday in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.
The Rising Suns, who swept the eliminations with an 11-0 run, and the resilient Gems, the lowest seed to advance to the title round, collide in the do-or-die Game 3 of the semifinals at 3 p.m. at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
“We just have to work hard,” said Moala Tautuaa, the 6-foot-7 Filipino Tongan who helped the Risings Suns recover from the brink of elimination in Game 2 of their semifinal series last Monday.
“If we get hit we get hit, that’s how basketball goes. We just hope the calls go our way and our shots fall.”
The winner will advance to the Finals versus Hapee, which clinched the first title slot after sweeping Cafe France in their own semifinal series.
Boosted by a hardworking backcourt, the No. 5 Gems overcame the twice-to-beat edge of Jumbo Plastic in the quarterfinals before shocking the Rising Suns, 89-85, in Game 1 of the semifinals that snapped the top seed’s unbeaten run.
“We have to be ready for the physicality. It’s going to be a big game for us,” said Fil-Am guard Simon Enciso, who led the Gems’ charge along with Allan Mangahas, Almond Vosotros, Paul Zamar and big man Norbert Torres.
The Rising Suns, though, hope to match the Gems’ firepower as in their Game 2 win, 98-93, where Tautuaa (26 points, 13 rebounds and five assists), Abel Galliguez (16 points) and Michael Mabulac (16 points and 10 rebounds) took charge.
“We have to dominate the boards,” said Cagayan coach Alvin Pua. “Honestly, Cebuana has a stronger lineup. We don’t have bigs, except for Tautuaa.”
“We have a lot of good shooters around me and I want to expose that,” said Tautuaa.
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