Pampanga, Iloilo duel for Batang PBA crown

Games today (Gatorade Hoops Center, Mandaluyong)

9 a.m. – Laguna vs Davao (for third)

10:30 a.m. – Pampanga vs Iloilo (for title)

MANILA, Philippines - Pampanga and Iloilo scored victories in contrasting fashions yesterday to seal a showdown for the Cloudfone-Batang PBA crown at the Philippine Science High School gym in Quezon City. 

Pampanga kept its unbeaten run but had to toughen up down the stretch to foil Laguna, 86-79, while Iloilo clobbered Davao, 104-83, in their respective semifinal duels.

The Pampangos and Ilongos clash for the title at 10:30 a.m. today at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong. Laguna and Davao dispute third place at 9 a.m.

Pampanga turned back Iloilo, 112-108, in their elims face-off. The Ilongos actually blew an 87-75 lead in the third as Justine Dale Bondoc hit 27 points, Miguel Pangilinan shot 26 markers, Gabriel Baluyot added 20 points and Mark Adrian Mallari finished with 19 markers for the Pampangos.

Against Laguna, Pangilinan poured in 24 points while Mallari added 21 markers and Daniel Troy Paule chipped in 13 points.

Marc Defante paced Laguna with 23 points while Angelo Alanguilan had 19 markers and Ashley Trinidad and John Ashley Los Banez added 10 points apiece.

The Ilongos, meanwhile, stamped their class early over the Davaoeños in the semis, storming to a 27-15 advantage in the first quarter and never looking back.