Haruna, Alejandro save Go for Gold anew to turn back Batangas EAC in D-League

MANILA, Philippines – Go for Gold-CSB continued its newfound winning ways in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup, as it downed the bottom-dwelling yet scrappy Batangas EAC Generals, 106-95, at the Ynares Sports Arena, Thursday, March 1.

The Generals showed why no team should underestimate them, as they fought tooth-and-nail with the talented Go for Gold squad for the entire first half. After a tied first quarter at 22-all, Cedrick Ablaza led the Generals to a small two-point deficit by intermission, 46-48.

EAC continued to show their heart early in the second half, as they bust out to an 11-point lead, 64-53, with key defensive stops leading to alley-oop layups and easy fastbreak points. However, Go for Gold’s talent caught up in no time, as Yankee Haruna showcased a breakaway dunk to go along with a steal and score in the very next possession. Edward Dixon punctuated the CSB run with a game-tying triple, 72-all. Tempers, however, would flare up at the very end of the quarter, as EAC’s Jeric Diego was assessed a technical foul after throwing the ball to Unique Naboa after a brief scramble for the ball.

This would screw up the Generals’ groove heading into the fourth, which Go for Gold capitalized with a 10-3 run, ending with a Justin Gutang and-one bucket. However, EAC would slowly come back and sent CSB clinging to a 3-point lead, 94-91, in the last two minutes. Unfortunately for the Generals, former National University team captain Jayjay Alejandro once again came up big in the clutch, sinking a corner triple that put his team up 6, 97-91, in the game’s waning moments. Haruna and Gutang piled on more buckets in the final seconds for good measure.

Aside from being a walking highlight reel, Haruna topscored for Go for Gold as well, scoring 23 points including 8 in the final frame. PBA vet Jerwin Gaco added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double while Gutang and Alejandro netted 15 and 13, respectively. For the Generals, it was Ablaza who filled up the statsheet with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and a block – all team-highs for the day. Top General Cedric de Joya added 18 points as well in the losing effort.

In the previous game, Wangs-Letran continued rolling with a key win over the University of Perpetual Help Altas.

The Scores

Go for Gold-CSB (106) – Haruna 23, Gaco 21, Gutang 15, Alejandro 13, Leutcheu 8, Dixon 7, Casino 7, Naboa 6, Salem 3, Domingo 2, Pasturan 1, Young 0, Ocampo 0

Batangas-EAC (95) – Ablaza 21, De Joya 18, Maguilano 11, Altamirano 10, Mendoza 8, Garcia 7, Dela Pena 6, Diego 6, Bautista 4, Tampoc 4, Mendoza 0

Quarter Scores: 22-22, 48-46, 75-75, 106-95

 

STANDINGS (as of Mar. 1, 2018)

CEU 4-1

Gamboa-St. Clare 3-1

Akari-AdU 4-2

Marinerong Pilipino 4-2

Wangs-Letran 4-2

Go For Gold-CSB 5-3

Zark’s-LPU 4-3

Che’Lu-SSC 4-4

Perpetual 2-5

AMA 1-3

JRU 1-4

EAC 1-6

– Rappler.com