Pandas stun Flying Lemurs to keep playoff hopes alive

CEBU, Philippines — The Fluor Pandas stunned the league front-runner Contact Solutions Flying Lemurs, 68-61, to keep their playoff hopes alive in the EVO League of the Tanduay Athletics CSCC E-Leagues for Basketball Season 15 last Saturday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

George Anciano, Rommel Tagacanao, Ryan Miano and Daven Canonigo connived for 54 points as the Pandas positioned themselves at joint seventh and eight spots with the Dynino Jets with identical 9-5 win-loss records.

Joey Juntilla was the lone double-digit scorer with 20 points for the Flying Lemurs, whose six-game winning streak come to an end and fell to 12-2, still good for the overall lead. In the Elite Classic, the QBE Generals dropped the upset axe on the Dreamscape Lions via a 74-73 cliffhanger, thanks to the booming triple of Stuart Foot with 10 seconds left in the contest. Foot finished with 14 points.

After Foot’s go-ahead trifecta, the Lions still had a chance to stealing the victory but Jan Gabest missed a 3-pointer as the time expired.

Marcos Jungoy finished with 18 points, while Johnrey Girasol cashed in 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Generals, who logged their only fourth win in 14 games.’

Ralph Belarmino scattered 28 points and 10 boards while Dhonel Borneo netted 19 markers on top of 14 boards but to no avail as the Lions slipped to 7-8.

On the other hand, Marc Cabague and Aldene Batino scored nine apiece as the Accenture Sharks downed the Teleperformance Vipers, 60-52, to keep their hold of the solo leadership  with a 13-1 mark.

Mahlon Paghasian and Jar Ar Otto conspired for 22 points but couldn’t prevent the  Vipers from absorbing their seventh loss in 15 matches.

In the other Elite Classic matches, the defending champions Sykes Pioneers overcame the absence of top hitman Jan Michael Auditor to escape past the Fusion BPO Services Dragons, 82-81, while the Wipro Tigers slammed the ePerformax Reds, 99-76.

Bryan Divinagracia sizzled with 18 points while Marl Laguna and Victor Rabat tallied 27 markers across their names for the Pioneers, who improved their record to 12-3.

Randolf Espinosa unloaded 17 points followed by Andree Gervacio with 16 and Joseph Saquin with 12 for the Tigers who roared to their fifth win in 16 starts.