Late NLEX offensive foils pesky Wangs five

Players from Cebuana Lhuillier and Zambales scramble for the loose ball during their game on Tuesday at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao. The Gems beat the M-Builders, 95-86. Photo by August dela Cruz.

MANILA, Philippines — Garvo Lanete and Ronald Pascual sparked a fourth-quarter assault as NLEX disposed of a pesky Wangs Basketball crew, 96-80, Tuesday in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at JCSGO Gym.

Lanete combined for 10 with Pascual in a decisive 12-3 spurt that gave the Road Warriors their first double-digit lead, 79-69, after leading by no more than three in the first three quarters.

“It was a scary win,” coach Boyet Fernandez said after his Road Warriors improved to a 5-1 record. “I scolded them in the first half because we gave up 48 points. It’s not an indication of a good defensive team.”

Lanete topscored with 24 points, 13 coming in the fourth quarter, where the NLEX outscored Wangs, 29-14.

Earlier, Roi Sumang erupted for 28 points and James Martinez added 16 to lift Cebuana Lhuillier to a 95-86 triumph over Zambales M-Builders.

Jesse Bustos shot six straight points that pushed the Gems ahead, 86-83, with less than two minutes to go.

Matt Ganuelas had 15 points and eight rebounds and fueled the Road Warriors’ comeback from as many as 11 points down, 34-45, in the second quarter.

Jake Pascual also delivered a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Ronald Pascual had 11 and nine.

The scores:

First Game

CEBUANA LHUILLIER 95—Sumang 28, Martinez 16, Gamalinda 13, Javier 12, Zamar 10, Bustos 8, Leynes 5, Padilla 2, Paredes 1, Casajeros 0, Flores 0.

ZAMBALES M-BUILDERS 86—Tolomia 24, Cruz 19, Pogoy 14, Ignacio 7, Alabanza 5, Saret 4, Mendoza 4, Gomez 4, Wong 4, Vidal 1. Quarters: 21-22, 45-44, 65-68, 95-86

Second Game

NLEX 96—Lanete 24, Ganuelas 15, J. Pascual 14, R. Pacual 11, Hermida 9, Dela Cruz 7, Long 5, Alas 4, Amer 3, Raymundo 2, K. Pascual 2, Dela Rosa 0.

WANGS BASKETBALL 80—Juico 27, Galliguez 13, Vijandre 13, Lopez 9, Acosta 5, Ilad 4, Franco 3, Gomez 3, Banal 2, Ferrer 1, Saitanan 0. Quarters: 28-25, 48-48, 67-66, 96-80

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