Peter June Simon was smoking hot, shooting 29 of his night-high 33 points in the middle two periods before putting the game out of reach for the Llamados with two free throws in the final 1:32 for a 96-88 cushion.
The loss was the second straight for the Tigers, who could only get 17 points from Chris Porter this time. Porter tossed in a conference-high 38 against Barangay Ginebra in a 92-80 loss last Sunday.
“He was our import,” Derby Ace coach Jorge Gallent said, referring to Simon, who drilled in 17 in the second quarter alone to outscore the entire Powerade squad by two.
In the second game, Jeremy Wise debuted his shooting touch with 33 points while Arwind Santos had 15, 21 boards and five blocks as Petron Blaze escaped with a 115-106 victory over Air21.
Petron tied Derby Ace at 1-1 while Air21 dropped to 0-2.
Meanwhile, Meralco shoots for a second straight win and an unlikely share of the early lead today when the B-Boys clash with the Alaska Aces in a road game presented by Phoenix Fuels in Tubod, Lanao Del Norte.
Game time is 6 p.m. at the Lanao Civic Center with Meralco seeking to follow up a brilliant 105-100 conquest of powerhouse Petron Blaze on Sunday, a win pounded out even without the services of leading local scorer Mac Cardona and guard Chris Ross.
The scores:
First Game
DERBY ACE 103—Simon 33, De Vance 21, Yap J. 14, Hannah 8, Allado 8, Yap R. 7, Gaco 6, Pingris 4, Villanueva 2, Fernandez 0.
POWERADE 90—Porter 17, Macapagal 13, Anthony 12, Lanete 11, Quinahan 9, Calimag 8, Gonzales 8, Allera 5, Reyes R. 4, Cruz 3, Reyes J. 0, Rizada 0, Espino 0.
Quarters: 20-33, 49-48, 74-64, 103-90
Second Game
PETRON BLAZE 115—Wise 33, Santos 15, Tugade 14, Al-Hussaini 13, Cabagnot 12, Duncil 9, Pennisi 8, Washington 7, Yeo 4, Guevarra 0.
AIR21 106—Hontiveros 32, Bangura 24, Seigle 17, Espiritu 10, Sharma 8, Avenido 8, Urbiztondo 5, Arboleda 2, Salvador 0, Canaleta 0, Artadi 0.
Quarters: 21-26, 58-50, 83-80, 115-106