Close shaves for NLEX, Boracay Rum

RR Garcia blocks Neil Pascual.

MANILA, Philippines—RR Garcia and Cliff Hodge combined for all but two of NLEX’s last 24 points as the Road Warriors slipped past Blackwater, |75-73, for their third triumph in four games in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Monday at the Trinity University Gym.

Garcia drilled a triple for a 71-70 advantage and Hodge buried a couple more buffer baskets to cap the Road Warriors’ comeback from 10 points down, 51-61, in the last five minutes

Stephen Siruma also stepped up at crunch time for Boracay Rum with two free throws with 4.9 seconds remaining to lift the Waves to a 72-68 decision of Dub Unlimited in the second game.

Hodge, a Filipino-American forward, registered a perfect 5-of-5 clip from three-point range for a game-high 23 points, while Garcia also fired 12 of his 18 from beyond the arc.

The defending champion Road Warriors played without varsity stars Dave Marcelo of San Beda and San Sebastian’s Calvin Abueva, Ronald Pascual and Ian Sangalang in the crucial stretch to suit up for their respective schools in another tournament.

“When they left, coach (Boyet Fernandez) just told me to carry the team,” said Garcia, Far Eastern University’s ace guard and former UAAP MVP .

Maclean Sabelina buried 16 points and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 for the Waves, who climbed to third at 4-2 to stay in the race for an outright semifinal berth.

Blackwater slipped to 3-3, while Dub, which recently stunned league-leader Freego Jeans, dropped to 1-5.

The scores:
First Game
NLEX 75–Hodge 23, Garcia 18, Monfort 11, Pascual 8, Ellis 5, Abueva 4, Marcelo 4, Dehesa 0, Belencion 0, Taganas 0, Co 0.
BLACKWATER 73–Bringas 15, Camus 13, Fortuna 10, G. Ciriacruz 9, I. Ciriacruz 9, Bautista 3, Acidre 3, Doligon 3, Marata 2.
Quarters: 16-15, 35-29, 50-51, 75-73
Second Game
BORACAY RUM 72–Sabellina 16, Khobuntin 12, Siruma 9, Morial 8, Bandaying 7, Terso 6, Baloran 6, Hermosisima 5, De Guzman 2, Eguilos 1, Abaya 0, Rosopa 0.
DUB UNLIMITED 68–Zamar 18, Gomez 12, Hugnatan 9, Melegrito 8, Aguilar 7, Bolos 7, Gonzales 2, Teng 0, Bustos 0.
Quarters: 19-11, 29-30, 56-48, 72-68