Protectors avenge loss, stay at second
Hapee Toothpaste gave Noosa Shoes little breathing room as it pounded out a 96-80 victory yesterday to seize solo second place in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at The Arena in
Jervy Cruz and Mark Borboran each fired 18 points as the Complete Protectors notched their sixth triumph against three losses to close in on the five-peat seeking Harbour Centre Batang Pier, who are unbeaten in eight games.
The win also avenged the Lamoiyan-owned franchise’s 76-77 loss to the Shoe Stars last month.
“This is the first time this conference that I’m satisfied with the way we played defense although I still believe we could still do better,” said
The Shoe Stars fell to their fifth defeat against three wins.
Earlier, San Mig Coffee drew strength from league returnee Eric dela Cuesta’s leadership as it repeated over Pharex, 78-77, to breathe new life to its flickering campaign.
Dela Cuesta, who played as an import for a team in Singapore the past few months, unloaded 15 points and made a defensive gem in the stretch in sealing the Coffee Kings their third win against five losses.
A basket at the buzzer by Ronnie Matias off a feed from Saladaga would have won it for Pharex but referees ruled time had already expired before he released the shot.
And dela Cuesta, who was a reserve in the Harbour Centre-backed RP team that snared last year’s Southeast Asian Games gold medal in Thailand, had a big hand on that since he was he who delayed Saladaga before the latter could spot a wide-open Matias.
“When we learned he’s available, we didn’t hesitate to get him. And he showed in this game how important he is on the team,” said San Mig coach Koy Banal of dela Cuesta.
The Medics absorbed their fourth loss in nine outings.
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