Hotshots at Bolts binuo ang final four

MANILA, Philippines – Ngayon ay maaari nang huminga ng maluwag si coach Tim Cone.

“It got scary in the end. Big relief we made it through the quarters,” sa­bi ni Cone matapos ta­lu­nin ng kanyang Purefoods ang Alaska, 96-89, sa Game Two ng kanilang quar­terfinals series sa 2015 PBA Commissio­ner’s Cup kagabi sa Smart Ara­neta Coliseum.

Winalis ng Hotshots ang Aces, 2-0, sa kanilang best-of-three quarterfinals showdown para labanan ang Talk ‘N Text Tropang Tex­ters sa best-of-five se­mifinals wars.

Nauna nang sinibak ng Talk ‘N Text ang Barako Bull, 127-97.

Nakahugot ang Purefoods kay import Den­zel Bowles ng 32 points kasunod ang 16 ni Joe Devance.

Sa ikalawang laro, bu­­mangon ang No. 5 Me­ralco mula sa 20-point de­­ficit sa third period para talunin ang No. 4 NLEX sa overtime, 91-85, at wa­lisin ang kanilang serye.

Lalabanan ng Bolts ang Rain o Shine sa semis.

Samantala, isang refe­ree ang sinuspinde ni PBA Com­missioner Chito Sa­lud dahil sa kabiguang ta­­wagan ng 24-second shot clock violation ang Ba­rangay Ginebra sa 91-92 pagka­talo nito sa Rain or Shine noong Sabado.

“A closer look at the play shows that Jeff Chan tapped the ball from Michael Dunigan with .2 se­­cond left on the shot clock. When the ball was tapped away from the hands of Dunigan, this in itself did not constitute a loss of possession on the part of the offensive team and therefore did not stop the shot clock from coun­ting down,” sabi ng PBA.

Sa natitirang 4.9 se­gun­do ay naagaw ni Chan ang bola mula kay Dunigan patungo sa kanyang fastbreak lay-up para sa panalo ng Elasto Painters.

Bago pa man matapik ni Chan ang bola mula kay Dunigan ay dapat na tu­mawag ng 24-second shotclock violation ang mga referees.

PUREFOODS 96 – Bowles 32, Devance 16, Bar­­roca 14, Yap 11, Mallari 7, Pingris 6, Maliksi 6, Simon 3, Melton 1, Reavis 0, Pennisi 0.

Alaska 89 – Jazul 22, James 21, Abueva 14, Casio 10, Thoss 8, Baguio 7, Banchero 3, Manuel 2, Hontiveros 2, Exciminiano 0, Menk 0, Dela Cruz 0, Baclao 0.

Quarterscores: 30-21; 46-43; 70-55; 96-89.

MERALCO 91 – David 31, Davis 25, Hugnatan 17, Hodge 6, Cortez 4, Ferriols 4, Ildefonso 2, Caram 2, Re­yes 0, Wilson 0, Anthony 0, Macapagal 0.

NLEX 85 – Thornton 32, Raymundo 12, Villanueva J. 12, Taulava 10, Cardona 6, Villanueva E. 4, Canaleta 3, Borboran 3, Apinan 3, Lingganay 0, Ramos 0.

Quarterscores: 20-17; 41-32; 66-53; 82-82; 91-85 (OT). (RC)