St Clare, Go for Gold clinch PBA D-League playoff spots

MANILA, Philippines – St Clare College-Virtual Reality made quick work of lowly AMA Online Education, 119-89, to wrap up their 2019 PBA D-League eliminations campaign at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao on Tuesday, May 21.

With the win, the 6-3 Saints clinched a playoff spot in the Aspirants Group with a chance to take twice-to-beat if Family Mart-Enderun upsets 6-2 IronCon-UST on Thursday, May 23. AMA, meanwhile, finished tied for 7^th place with a 2-7 record.

Joshua Fontanilla fired 11 of his 16 points in the 1st half while Darwin Lunor added 13 markers, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in the win.

“Gusto lang namin tapusin ng maganda ang eliminations. Sana madala namin sa next phase,” said  St Clare coach Jinino Manansala. 

(We just want to finish nicely in the eliminations. Hopefully, we bring this to the next phase.)

Joshua Munzon pumped his usual digits for AMA with 27 points, 13 boards, 4 assists and 3 steals while Franky Johnson chipped in 19 markers.

In the curtain-raiser, Go for Gold-CSB also clinched a postseason berth in the Aspirants Group with a 119-101 romp of McDavid.

Also with a 6-3 slate like St. Clare, the Scratchers are now safe from elimination as both UST and Petron-Letran have inferior quotients in case of a five-way tie on Thursday. On the other hand, McDavid had a rock-bottom debut season with a 1-8 record. 

Cameroonian big man Clement Leutcheu led the balanced attack with 19 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals while Edward Dixon finished with 16 markers off a 10-point 1st quarter.

Jason Melano paced McDavid’s last game with 26 points while fan favorite big man Jerwin Gaco added 20 markers in the loss.  

The Scores

First Game: 

Go for Gold-CSB 119 – Leutcheu 19, Dixon 16, Adams 13, Gutang 12, Pangalangan 11, Carlos 11, Pasturan 11, Haruna 7, Nayve 6, Velasco 5, Naboa 4, Young 2, Lim 2, Belgica 0. 

McDavid 101 – Melano 26, Gaco 20, Sorela 18, Arboleda 11, Koga 10, Gonzales 6, Monte 3, Caranguian 3, Colina 2, Medina 2, Lozada 0, Canada 0, Ja. Villanueva 0, Pena 0. 

Quarters: 37-23, 68-46, 95-69, 119-101.

Second Game: 

St. Clare-Virtual Reality 119 – Fontanilla 16, Palencia 14, Ambuludto 14, Pare 13, Lunor 13, Santos 11, Decano 10, Hallare 8, Bolos 6, Rubio 5, Tiquia 5, Manacho 2, Penaredondo 2, Fuentes 0. 

AMA 89 – Munzon 27, Johnson 19, Rike 15, Parcero 12, Sayat 5, Asuncion 3, Estibar 3, Fuentes 3, Catequista 2, Sabile 0, Nakpil 0, Dela Rosa 0. 

Quarters: 35-20, 68-39, 93-67, 119-89.