PBA D-League Cup: Gems thwart Ironmen; Tigers barge into playoffs

MANILA—Pacesetting Cebuana Lhuiller Gems foiled Cobra Ironmen’s bid for an outright spot in the quarterfinals after come-from-behind 73-70 victory Tuesday in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the San Juan Gym.

Even with an identical 4-2 record, Max! Bond Sumos will instead advance to the next round by virtue of the win-over-the-other, along with the Gems who are already assured of the spot.

Kevin Alas’ one of two free-throws, his only point of the game, with eight seconds remaining brought Cebuana Lhuiller to safety as Cobra’s Toto Bandaying missed a game-tying triple at the buzzer despite a clean look at the basket.

Allein Maliski finished with 21 points for the Gems, leaders in Group A with 5-1 slate.

Before pulling away in the final period, Cebuana Lhuiller was actually at bay for the better part of the contest as it struggled to contain Cobra’s scorers in the first three quarters.

It was a blazing 12-1 run by the Gems in a two-minute span that gave them a taste of their first lead, 59-55, to close out the third period.

But Cobra, unwilling to give up, came to life anew down the stretch.

Former FEU standout Paul Sanga, responsible for bringing the Ironmen back in the game with less than a minute to play, exploded for 27 points even as Cobra’s main offensive threat Paul Lee added 18.

Sanga nailed a triple with 10 seconds left to push Cobra to within, 70-72, from seven points down before Alas’ charities virtually sealed the game.

The Ironmen, who will now have to gut it out in the knockout round in order to make it to the quarterfinals, actually had a 37-32 upperhand at the half.

In the nightcap, swingman Alvin Padilla hit a double-clutch triple in crunchtime to help the Junior Powerade Tigers move into the knockout phase as they outlasted Cafe France, 77-65.

Padilla sank the momentum-shifting basket with the shot clock winding down to put the Tigers ahead, 70-63, with only 1:23 left.

“Maybe sometimes its better to be lucky,” said Powerade coach Ricky Dandan, whose squad will face Blackwater Elite in the do-or-die match on Thursday.

Padilla scored all of his 14 points in the second half while also grabbing six rebounds.

Powerade failed to sustain its third quarter surge as Cafe France rallied to knot the game at 54 in the opening minutes of the payback period.

The Tigers established a 13-point spread, 48-35, at the 5:05 mark of the third courtesy of a James Martinez three-pointer but had a hard time breaking the relentless full-court pressure by Cafe France.

“It’s going to be a big challenge for us (facing Blackwater),” added Dandan. “They will definitely have our hands full.”

Mon Mabayo had a double-double of 19 points and 11 boards in a losing cause for Cafe France.