Mighty secures top playoff berth; SCTEX wins 3rd straight

Games Wednesday:

(Marikina Sports Center)

5 p.m. – Jumbo Plastic vs Supremo Lex

7 p.m. – Euro-Med vs Mighty Sports

MANILA, Philippines – Hometown favorite Mighty Sports survived another acid test after edging Sta. Lucia while Biyaheng SCTEX took the short route in beating Foton soundly in the PCBL Chairman’s Cup Sunday at the Malolos Sports and Convention Center.

Led by top PBA prospect Kiefer Ravena and import Bright Akhuetie,  Mighty Sports endured a hard-fighting Sta. Lucia Realty squad before hacking out a 92-85 triumph for its ninth win in 10 games and officially secured the No.1 spot in the playoffs of this tournament  supported by Spalding, Hahn Manila, LGR, During’s Barbeque and Restaurant, Ambucore and Gerry’s Grill .

Mighty Sports pulled away three games ahead from closest pursuers Jumbo Plastic and SCTEX, which earlier posted an easy 91-60 demolition of the Toplander in the other game.

SCTEX forged a tie for second to third places with Jumbo Plastic at 6-4 as the race for the top two berths gets tighter in this tournament.

Ravena scattered 20 points, including a triple that capped a 7-0 run in the fourth period, allowing Mighty Sports to build a 92-83 lead with only 1:18 left in the game and finally put away a game Realtors team that paraded a new import Ik Akpuru.

Akpuru replaced its previous reinforcement Prince Eze, who got injured, and scored only three points in 10 minutes of play, visibly struggling on how the Realtors run their set patterns.

Akhuetie proved to be too much inside as he muscled his way for 17 points and 20 rebounds.

Although they were not able to get positive outputs from their new import, the Realtors remained in the thick of the battle made possible by Jett Vidal, who picked up from where he left off in the previous game.

The former Perpetual Help star drilled in 20 points on a steady 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Jhaps Bautista contributed 15 markers and Jam Jamito had another double-double showing with 12 points and 13 boards in a losing effort by the Realtors, who slipped to No. 5 with a 5-6 record.

For SCTEX, winning came so easy as they ran roughshod over Foton.

Five players ended up in double figures led by Bayron Villarias, who tallied 18 points, including four triples.  Mark Pangilinan contributed 15, Raul Soyud had 12, Borgie Hermida chipped in 11 and import Steve Akomo had a double-double performance of 10 points and 15 boards.

The scores:

First Game

BIYAHENG SCTEX (91) – Villarias 18, Pangilinan 15, Soyud 12, Hermida 11, Akomo 10, Sumalinog 6, Susaya 5, Del Rosario 4, Raymundo 3, Batino 3, Esmeria 2, Vitug 2, Reyes 0.

FOTON TOPLANDER (60) – Nacpil 18, Reyes 11, Gomez 7, Ablaza 6, Penaflor 5, Hernandez 4, Moraga 3, Enriquez 2, Ouattara 2, Rivera 2, Mallari 0.

Quartercores: 30-20, 52-37, 75-49, 91-60.

Second Game

MIGHTY SPORTS (92) – Ravena 20, Akhuetie 17, Mangahas 13, Lopez 12, A. Bringas 9, Melocoton 8, M. Bringas 8, Montilla 5, Regalado 0, Wongchuking 0, Banal 0.

STA. LUCIA (85) – Vidal 20, Bautista 15, Jamito 12, Bangga 10, Camasura 6, Escosio 6, Salado 6, Javelona 3, Akpuru 3, Ilagan 2, Gabriel 2, Castanarez 0.

Quarterscores: 21-21, 48-38, 68-67, 92-85.