Phoenix rips Blustar on Tolomia clutch hit

Games Tuesday (Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig)

2 p.m. – AMA vs Cafe France

4 p.m. – Racal vs Blustar Detergent

MANILA, Philippines - Mike Tolomia fired a clutch jumper as Phoenix escaped with a scrambling 97-94 victory over a surprisingly tough Blustar Detergent side to grab the solo lead as Tanduay stopped Café France in the PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig yesterday.

Ed Daquioag bucked a poor first half stint with a strong showing in the fourth, unloading 13 of his team-high 25 points to help shake off the Dragons.

Tolomia also buried 20 markers, including the go-ahead jumper from the right elbow to shove the Accelerators to a 94-92 lead with 31.9 seconds left in the contest. He also had eight rebounds.

Phoenix played the last three quarters without Mac Belo, who was ejected for a flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Chun Hung Ting late in the opening period.

The victory thus stretched the Accelerators’ run to four for the solo lead as the Rhum Masters foiled the Bakers, 84-80, in the other game to force a tie at second at 3-1.

Juami Tiongson debuted for Blustar with 34 points, five assists, and four rebounds but the Dragons still fell short of their bid for a first win and dropped to 0-3.

Later in the day, the Rhum Masters battled back from 20-points down and stunned the Bakers.

Gelo Alolino shot 22 points, hauled down six rebounds and dished off three assists, while Adrian Santos dropped eight of his 17 markers in the fourth period and finished with nine boards for Tanduay.

Reden Celda also scored 12 points and snared eight rebounds for the Rhum Masters, who charged back from 27-47 down in the first half.

Tanduay forced a tie at 78 with 2:17 left and wrested the lead on a?Santos’ fastbreak then Louie Vigil blocked Aaron Jeruta’s floater to complete their come-from-behind victory which Celda secured at the free throw line.

Rod Ebondo paced Cafe France with 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Samboy de Leon and Carl Bryan Cruz wound up with 15 markers each.

The scores:

First Game:

PHOENIX 97 – Daquioag 25, Tolomia 20, Jamito 19, Pogoy 10, Escoto 6, Tamsi 5, Mendoza 4, Andrada 3, Batino 2, Belo 2, Pascual 1, Inigo 0, Knuttel 0.

BLUSTAR 94 – Tiongson 34, Kuek 21, Ting 12, Ma 11, Choo 5, Teo 5, Liaw 3, Wong 3, Mak 0, Ong 0, Palma 0.

Quarterscores: 23-23, 48-47, 72-73, 97-94.

Second Game:

TANDUAY 84 – Alolino 22, Santos 17, Celda 12, Vigil 9, Belencion 6, Javillonar 6, Acuna 4, Mendoza 4, Gotladera 2, Tagarda 2, Enguio 0, Lingganay 0, Stevens 0.

CAFE FRANCE 80 – Cruz 15, De Leon 15, Ebondo 15, Zamar 10, Jeruta 8, Manlangit 8, Casino 6, Opiso 2, Villahermosa 1, Abundo 0, Parala 0.

Quarterscores: 18-20, 30-47, 50-59, 84-80.