Pampanga whips Batang PBA foe, books semis slot

PAMPANGA continued its dominant run in the 2016 Cloudfone-Batang PBA National Finals, routing the Batang Meralco Bolts, 94-43, Wednesday in the penultimate day of the preliminaries at Philippine Science High School gym in Quezon City.

Vince Artrei Sarmiento poured 19 points, Daniel Troy Paule added 14, Justine Dale Bondoc 11 and Cid Kelly Crisologo 10 points as Pampanga raced to a 26-10 first quarter lead on the way to its third straight win and a berth in the crossover semifinals.

Later in the day, Davao City rallied from a 41-39 deficit at halftime to turn back Laguna, 84-75, with Aljay Alloso unloading 25 points, Vince Petdeo Cuajao 20 and Emeliano Escalero 14 points.
Laguna, led by the 21 points of John Ashley Los Bañez with 21 points and Angelo Alanguilan’s 18, couldn’t sustain a hot first half, fading in the third quarter against Davao’s sustained comeback.

In the third game, Iloilo made light work of Batang San Miguel Beer, 99-46, as Ryan Calama-an fired 19 points, Giann Paul Nahine 15, Franc Steven Tono 13, Wilmer Dalumpines and Marvin Cuerbo 11 points.

The Cloudfone national finals wrap up the preliminaries today, with the Final Four set tomorrow and the final on Saturday at Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
The scores:
First Game
PAMPANGA 94—Sarmiento 19, Paule 14, Bondoc 11, Crisologo 10, Delfino 8, Miclat 8, R. Pangilinan 8, M. Pangilinan 4, Baluyut 4, Briones 4, Casing-Casing 2, Mallari 2.
MERALCO 43—De Leon 15, Quimpo 9, Cezar 8, Ramos 3, Abraham 3, Gargar 3, Lagundi 2.
Quarters: 26-10, 41-20, 64-32, 94-43
Second Game
DAVAO 84—Alloso 25, Cuajao 20, Escalero 14, Abale 9, Reyes 9, Jamora 2, Pacifico 2, Villasenda 2, Paquera 1, Duran 0, Damaya 0, Villanueva 0.
LAGUNA 75—Los Bañez 21, Alanguilan 18, Limun 9, Defante 6, Clauss 6, Batayon 6, Canet 4, Trinidad 3, Dela Cruz 2, Maat 0, Mance 0, Cuesta 0.
Quarters: 22-23, 39-41, 63-60, 84-75
Third Game
ILOILO 99—Calama-an 19, Najime 15, Tono 13, Dalumpines 12, Cuerbo 11, Gaborno 6, Estonilo 3, Bajon 0, Jimenez 0, Palmos 0, Suares 0.
SAN MIGUEL 46—Dela Rosa 14, Sta. Cruz 11, Tabo-tabo 7, Chua 6, Evangelio 4, Uy 4.
Quarters: 20-9, 37-19, 72-29, 99-46