Jumbo-Mighty PCBL title showdown looms

MUSTAFA Arafat delivered the telling blows in overtime as Jumbo Plastic outlasted Sta. Lucia, 94-89, Sunday night to move within a win of clinching a finals slot in the PCBL Chairman’s Cup at Malolos Convention Center.

The former University of the East standout sent the game to overtime with a layup and scored all but two of Jumbo’s nine points in the extra session as the Giants grabbed the headstart in their best-of-three series.

Mighty Sports also inched closer toward a finals stint with a 99-84 drubbing of Euro Med in a match marred by a scuffle involving Ola Adeogun and Kevin Ferrer after the final buzzer.

Claiming to be provoked by Ferrer, Euro-Med’s Adeogun, who used to play for San Beda in the NCAA, hit the former University of Santo Tomas star with an elbow, leaving him with a bloodied nose.

The incident almost overshadowed Mighty’s domination of Euro Med even without star Kiefer Ravena.

Nigerian import Bright Akhuetie joined forces with Ferrer, Allan Mangahas and Gab Banal for Mighty which led by as many as 30 points, 92-62.

The Giants, who ruled the inaugural staging of the PCBL, nearly lost a 19-point lead in the second quarter before Arafat bailed them out. Cedelf P. Tupas

The scores:

First Game

MIGHTY SPORTS 99—Akhuetie 24, Ferrer 13, Mangahas 12, Banal 12, Celada 11, Montilla 8, Tang 7, A. Bringas 4, M. Bringas 4, Melocoton 3, Wongchuking 1, Regalado 0, Lopez 0.

EURO-MED 84—Adeogun 19, Salamat 17, Alvarez 14, Poligrates 11, Custodio 7, Gil 5, Almario 3, Capacio 3, Galanza 3, Llagas 2, Salcedo 0, Saitanan 0.

Quarters: 34-17, 53-35, 77-54, 99-84

Second Game

JUMBO PLASTIC 94—Arafat 16, Martinez 14, Lopez 12, Taganas 11, Arellano 9, Siruma 9, Viernes 7, Eguilos 5, Bitoon 5, Santos 4, Perez 2, Ibay 0.

STA. LUCIA 89—Vidal 14, Javelona 12, Bautista 12, Camasura 11, Salado 11, Sanjo 10, Bangga 7, Escosio 4, Ilagan 4, Castanarez 2, Jamito 0.

Quarters: 26-14, 47-36, 61-66, 81-81 (reg.), 94-89 (OT).