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Sweep for Shirley’s, semis for PSS
Shirley’s Coffee Shop’s Ernest Duenas, seen here pulling up for a jumper against a Top Development, Inc. defender, scored 30 points in their 113-110 win over Docomo Pacific in the JP World caging last Wednesday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Shirley’s downed the Docomo Pacific in the second game, 113-100, to finish the elimination round with a perfect 8-0 record and get the top seeding and the first automatic semis berth in the nine-team league. PSS took the second outright semis slot after whipping Top Development, Inc. in the first match, 111-66.
PSS wrapped up the regular season with a 6-2 record, the same mark Joeten registered. However, PSS won the tie due to the winner-over-the-other rule as it outlasted Joeten in their lone game in the elimination round last month, 83-80.
The semis-clinching victory came early for PSS, as it had the game in the bag right at the end of the first half, enjoying a 68-28 halftime advantage. Top Development faced a manageable deficit after the first canto, 14-27, but PSS exploded for 41 points in the second quarter, more than doubling the former’s combined output in the first half to put the game away.
Joe Villacrusis led PSS’ second-quarter assault, scoring 11 points, while his four other teammates contributed at least three baskets apiece to end Top Development’s hopes of making it to the win column.
Villacrusis top-scored for PSS with his 23 points, while Meverick Itibus added 17, and Jerry Diaz and Walter Mendez added 15 and 12, respectively. Raymond Velasco led TDI with his 36 markers.
In the second game, Shirley’s won a shootout against Docomo Pacific as both teams reached the century mark in the run-and-gun match.
Though Docomo managed to score 100 points, majority of its baskets came in the fourth when Shirley’s had the game in control, leading at 91-74. Teams just traded shots in the final canto with Tony Diaz firing for Docomo and Matt Duenas and Erick Dela Rosa hitting their targets for Shirley’s.
Duenas paced Shirley’s with his 30 points, while Dela Rosa chipped in 25. Diaz led the five-man Docomo crew with his 38 points.
Meanwhile, the playoff round starts today with the third-ranked Joeten taking on No. 6 finisher Commonwealth Utilities Corp. and No. 4 MBI/Anchor and No. 5 McDonald’s colliding in the other win-or-go-home game. The winner of the Joeten-CUC tiff will challenge Shirley’s for the first finals berth on Monday, while the victor of the MBI/Anchor-McDonald’s match will face PSS for the last championship ticket.
First Game
PSS 111 – Villacrusis 23, Itibus 17, Diaz 15, Mendez 12, Coldeen 8, Cabrera 8, Loste 7, Villagomez 4, Santos 4, Manibusan 2.
TDI 66 – Velasco 36, Arreza 16, Lorenzo 9, Pollisco 5.
Scoring by quarters: 27-14, 68-28, 92-46, 111-66.
Second Game
Shirley’s 113 – Duenas 30, Dela Rosa 24, Manibusan 19, Pamintuan 16, Rabasto 11, Jugos 9, Aguilar 5.
Docomo 100 – Diaz 38, Sanciangco 21, Sablan 18, White 16, Napo 6.
Scoring by quarters: 31-24, 69-53, 91-74, 113-100.
