Che’Lu pulls plug on UST to keep playoff bid alive in D-League

MANILA, Philippines – Che’Lu Bar and Grill kept its playoff hopes burning by turning back Ironcon-UST, 92-80, in the 2019 PBA D-League at JCSGO Gym in Cubao on Monday, May 6. 

Rey Suerte collected 27 points, punctuating the killer 19-0 fourth-quarter stretch for the Revellers with the last 8 points that flipped a tight 70-66 lead to a commanding 89-66 advantage with 3:07 left on the clock.

Gab Dagangon was as solid in his debut with 17 points and 3 rebounds, while Alfred Batino had 14 points and 6 boards in the Che’Lu win.

“This is a must win,” said coach Stevenson Tiu. “Sabi ko sa players, if we lose today, parang scrimmage na lang yung last two games. If you still want to play in the playoffs, you have to play hard today.”

(This was a must win. I told the players that if we lost today, our last two games would just feel like scrimmage for us. I told them that if they still want to play in the playoffs, they have to play hard.) 

The victory allowed the Revellers to stay in the hunt for a spot in the Aspirants Group top 4 at 4-3, while dealing the Growling Tigers their second defeat in their last 3 games to fall to 5-2.

It was a sorry defeat for Ironcon-UST, which crawled back from an 18-point deficit, 47-65, and got to within two, 63-65, in the waning moments of the 3rd frame.

That run, however, fell flat in the end as Batino and Suerte delivered the daggers in the payoff period.

Sherwin Concepcion fired 24 points on a 4-of-8 shooting from three-point distance to lead Ironcon-UST, which squandered a chance to seal off a playoff seat.

Earlier, Perpetual leaned on the duo of Tonton Peralta and Edgar Charcos to come away with the 86-75 win over CD14 Designs-Trinity. 

Peralta dropped 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Charcos scored 7 of his side’s last 8 points to finish with 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. 

SMDC-NU also came out victorious, extending its winning streak to 3 games with a 102-71 drubbing of Wangs Basketball. 

Senegalese center Issa Gaye fired 13 points and 9 rebounds while Niko Abatayo had 12 points – all in the first half – in the win. 

The Scores

Che’Lu vs UST

Che’Lu 92 – Suerte 27, Dagangon 17, Batino 14, Viernes 12, P. Manalang 7, Collado 5, Gabo 4, Taganas 2, Bautista 2, Siruma 2, Bringas 0, Dumapig 0.

Ironcon-UST 80 – Concepcion 24, Chabi Yo 18, Abando 16, Nonoy 9, Paraiso 6, Ando 2, Lee 2, Huang 2, Pangilinan 1, Asuncion 0, Bataller 0, Yongco 0, Herrera 0, Marcos 0.

Quarters: 22-17, 44-39, 70-63, 92-80.

Perpetual vs CD14 Designs-Trinity 

Perpetual 86 – Peralta 33, Charcos 15, Razon 12, Egan 12, Pasia 8, Cuevas 3, Labarda 2, Martel 1, Lanoy 0, Sese 0, Tamayo 0.

CD14 Designs-Trinity 75 – Tayongtong 20, Balucanag 18, Mabayo 13, Montero 8, Dela Cruz 6, Vitug 4, Tadeo 3, Medina 3, Juanico 0, Chua 0, Ingel 0, Juico 0.

Quarters: 20-16, 40-20, 64-49, 86-75.

SMDC-NU vs Wangs 

SMDC-NU 102 – Gaye 13, Abatayo 12, D. Ildefonso 11, Clemente 10, Galinato 10, Minerva 9, Mangayao 8, S. Ildefonso 6, Gallego 6, Tibayan 5, Oczon 4, Rangel 4, Diputado 2, Yu 2, Mosqueda 0.

Wangs 71 – Wong 17, Inigo 11, Gerero 10, Ilac 8, Singontoko 7, Bulawan 6, De Mesa 5, Lim 4, Vito 3, Brojan 0, Tongco 0, Evangelista 0.

Quarters: 34-20, 54-46, 86-56, 102-71.

– Rappler.com