Marion Magat (dark / cafe france) vs Evan Allen (light / ea regens). Photo from Nuki Sabio, PBA
MANILA, Philippines—Everything clicked for Cafe France as it rolled to its best start in franchise history with a 107-92 win over EA Regen on Thursday in the 2013 PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the JCSGO gym in Quezon City.
The Bakers’ 1-2 punch Mike Parala and Mike Silungan delivered the lethal blows for the Bakers in the payoff period, alternating triples to help snare their fourth straight win.
“Eveybody is playing well at mataas ang morale ng lahat. It’s a good sign,” said an elated head coach Edgar Macaraya, whose squad tied with Blackwater at number one with a 4-1 card.
Macaraya also credited his other big man Marion Magat, finished with a perfect 4-of-4 from the field for 11 points, going along with eight rebounds.
“Yung mga big man ko nakita natin maganda nilaro, nagcompliment [yung laro nila sa labas at sa loob],” Macaraya added.
But it was Silungan’s triple which opened up a lot of options in the field for Cafe France. He has another commendable performance with 20 points on four treys.
The gunner from University of the Philippines started the fourth quarter with a trey to keep the momentum in his squad’s side.
As the Bakers continued to keep the Delta at bay, Parala, meanwhile, put the outcome beyond doubt, 106-90, with 1:28 to play
The starting center, who also impressed from the 3-point line by going 3-of-3, finished with a team-best 21 points along with six boards.
EA Regen, meanwhile, asborbed its second straight setback — still struggling to find the right combination to make a run in its PBA D-League debut.
Even with a 26-18 and 28-19 edge in fastbreak and turnover points, in that order, allowing the Bakers to nail eight treys and notch 31 assists keyed in their the Delta’s doom.
Ex-PBA forward Jimbo Aquino finished with a game-high 21 points, Ian Sangalang added 18 points and 10 rebounds.