Saints smother Scorpions, near D-L Finals

Games Monday (Paco Arena, Manila)

Game Two of Best-of-3 Semis

1:30 p.m. – TIP vs Marinerong Pilipino

3:30 p.m. – CEU vs BRT Sumisip-St. Clare

MANILA, Philippines — Unbeaten BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare got back at Centro Escolar U, coming away with an 86-70 rout in the opener of the PBA D-League Foundation Cup Final Four series at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig yesterday.

Malian center Mohammed Pare fired 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to power the Saints to the 16-point romp that moved them closer to a coveted finals appearance.

Guard Joshua Fontanilla shot 14 points and finished with six assists and five rebounds while Junjie Hallare and Jhaps Bautista added 11 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Saints, who will go for the clincher on Monday.

“We just tried to set the tone with our aggressiveness and that’s what we did, “ said BRT Sumisip-St. Clare coach Stevenson Tiu.

The Saints, who lost to the Scorpions in this stage last conference, came out strong in the second period then stunned their rivals with a blistering 11-0 blitz at the break to post a huge 51-37 lead which they never relinquished as Jessie Collado, Cris Dumapig and Hesed Gabo provided the needed backup to secure the victory.

Senegalese slotman Malick Diouf turned in a 12-point, 15-rebound, four-assist effort for CEU. He also pulled off six steals and had three blocks that however went to naught.

Jerome Santos chipped in 11 points in a losing cause for the Scorpions.

The scores:

BRT SUMISIP-ST. CLARE 86 – Pare 19, Fontanilla 14, Hallare 11, Bautista 10, Collado 9, Dumapig 8, Gabo 7, Rubio 5, Manacho 3, Penaredondo 0, Batino 0.

CEU 70 – Diouf 12, Santos 11, Guinitaran 8, Diaz 8, Tuadles 8, Sunga 7, Escalona 6, Bernabe 5, Tagal 5, De Ocampo 0, Murillo 0, Espiritu 0.

Quarterscores: 21-23, 46-37, 65-55, 86-70