HAPEE’S victorious Fresh Fighters whoop it up with team owner Dr. Cecilo Pedro and PBA chair Pato Gregorio. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
MANILA, Philippines—Hapee lost its best player but not its championship drive.
Earl Scottie Thompson made all the big plays in the last 22 seconds as the Fresh Fighters—surviving without injured MVP Ray Parks—outlasted Cagayan Valley in a heart-stopping 93-91 overtime decision to bag the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Thursday at the packed Ynares Sports Arena.
Thompson made two crucial steals—the first he converted for the go-ahead basket, 92-91—before blocking Don Trollano’s potential game-winning triple to seal Hapee’s sweep of the No. 1 Rising Suns in the best-of-three series.
“Scottie saved the day for us—that simple,” said Hapee coach Ronnie Magsanoc. “Unbelievable effort [by Thompson]. I didn’t know how many players were left [from the injuries], but the players willed (themselves) to win and steal this game from Cagayan.”
The Fresh Fighters lost Parks right in the opening minutes of the game due to a dislocated shoulder following a collision with Cagayan’s Michael Mabulac.
They also lost stalwarts Garvo Lanete (cramps) and Troy Rosario (sprain) in the closing minutes.
Lanete fired 22 points to lead the Fresh Fighters, who nailed the title on their maiden run after a big stint in the defunct Philippine Basketball League where the franchise won four crowns.
Rosario (20 points and 13 rebounds) and Ola Adeogun (19 points and 12 rebounds), who both starred in the Fresh Fighters’ Game 1 win, 82-74, posted double-double outings.
Thompson, the reigning NCAA MVP from Perpetual Help, scored on a steal off Cagayan’s star center Moala Tautuaa that pushed Hapee ahead, 92-91, with just 22.1 seconds left in the extra period.
Thirteen seconds later, Thompson again swiped the ball away from Cagayan guard Alli Austria to fetch a foul.
“I know that I’m a role player in this team, I’ve accepted it because we have many stars in this team,” said Thompson, who finished with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and five steals.
The Rising Suns looked set to tie the series after Fil-Am guard Abel Galliguez fueled their comeback and deadlocked the game at 82 in regulation time.
The scores:
HAPEE 93—Lanete 22, Rosario 20, Adeogun 19, Thompson 11, Amer 7, Newsome 6, Dela Cruz 3, Elorde 3, Hayes 2, Parks 0, Long 0.
CAGAYAN VALLEY 91—Galliguez 18, Trollano 17, Melano 13, Tautuaa 13, Austria 8, Celada 7, Tayongtong 7, Mabulac 3, Dilay 2, Flores 2, Salamat 1, Olayon 0, Capacio 0, Santos 0.
Quarters: 16-17, 34-33, 68-65, 82-82 (reg.) 93-91 (OT)
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