La Salle, Marinero reach D-League finals

MANILA, Philippines — EcoOil-La Salle and Marinerong Pilipino set up a championship showdown yesterday, knocking off Adalem Construction-St. Clare and Apex Fuel-San Sebastian in a pair of do-or-die Game 3s in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Green Archers drubbed the Saints, 97-74, while the Skippers held on to a 69-64 win over the top-seeded Golden Stags to remain as the last two teams standing in D-League’s return from a two-year hiatus.

La Salle and Marinero begin their best-of-three clash for the Aspirants’ Cup diadem on Sunday at the same venue.

CJ Austria uncorked 26 points, Kevin Quiambao added 16 while Michael Phillips had an all-around line of 14 markers, 13 boards, six assists, four steals and five blocks to banner La Salle’s convincing 23-point victory.

“I’m really happy and satisfied with the way we played. The boys just played really hard and the things we were supposed to do last time around, we did it right today,” said coach Derrick Pumaren as La Salle absorbed a 72-64 Game 2 win to allow a rubber match.

The story, however, was different for the Skippers as they needed Juan Gomez de Liaño’s heroics down the stretch to hold off No. 1 San Sebastian.

De Liaño, the former Japan B. League import, scored eight of his 23 points in the last three minutes, including the game-sealing lay-up in the last 52 seconds.

He added eight rebounds and six assists while AC Soberano (14) and Jollo Go (11) cashed in help for the Skippers, who booked a D-League finals return trip after a runner-up finish in 2019 before the pandemic.

“We just had the right mindset coming into this do-or-die game,” said De Liaño.