MANILA, Philippines – Neil Pascual salvaged Blackwater with an and-one conversion with 40.9 ticks remaining en route to a 68-65 triumph over newcomer Boracay Rhum Thursday in the 2011 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.
Pascual gave the Elite a three-point boost in the last minute after the Waves rallied to knot the game at 63-all.
Pascual, a fomer Mapuan, finished with 15 points for Blackwater, whose line up is built around the top collegiate players from the NCAA and UAAP.
“[These players from different leagues,] they have respect for each other, and I told them to keep it up,” said Blackwater head coach Leo Isaac, who also mans the sidelines for Arellano in the NCAA.
La Salle’s Sam Marata also chipped in 11 points while UST’s Jeric Fortuna and Arellano’s Isaiah Ciriacruz finished with nine points each.
Boracay Rhum, a new addition in the PBA D-League, struggled for three quarters before rallying behind National U’ Glenn Khobuntin and Kokoy Hermosisima.
Back-to-back baskets capped by a trey by Hermosisima with 1:33 tied the match, but the Waves failed to capitalize down the stretch.
Khobuntin had 18 points in a losing effort for Boracay Rhum.