By Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA
MANILA — Cignal-Ateneo and Valencia-San Sebastian began their stint in the PBA D-League with huge victories against separate foes at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Thursday night.
The Blue Eagles stunned last season’s Foundation Cup champions Go For Gold-CSB Scratchers, 103-75, while the Golden Harvest shocked the Marinerong Pilipino Skippers in overtime, 110-104.
In the first game, Cignal-Ateneo turned the tides in the second quarter, starting the period on a 24-3 run to pull away for good.
All game long, the reigning University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) champion was nearly automatic from the field, draining 55 percent of its baskets, including a 45 percent clip from long range, a far cry from what Head Coach Tab Baldwin thought about his team.
“This isn’t how we play in the UAAP. We’ll press a lot more, we’ll do a lot of other things that we really can’t do when our numbers are down. So offensively, I was surprised, we played pretty well,” he said.
Isaac Go put up 21 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc, while Adrian Wong added 17 for the Blue Eagles.
Fresh from a stint in the Dubai International Basketball Championship for Mighty Sports, Justin Gutang scored 21 markers for the Scratchers.
On the other hand, Valencia-San Sebastian blew a 10-point lead to open the fourth quarter but recovered in the extra five minutes to finally secure the win, much to Head Coach Egay Macaraya’s delight.
“Noong extension, hindi nag-give up ang mga bata. I guess yun ang bini-build namin ngayon, building character ng Baste. Nakita ko na di kami nag-give up and that’s the very thing na I’m very happy (During extension, my boys did not give up. I guess that is what we are building now — Baste’s character. I saw that they did not give up and that is the very thing I’m very happy about),” he said.
Allyn Bulanadi exploded for 32 points, while RK Ilagan added 28 for the Golden Harvest.
Mike Ayonayon scored 23 markers for the Skippers.
The Scores:
First Game
CIGNAL-ATENEO 103: Go 21, Wong 17, Ma. Nieto 14, Kouame 13, Mi. Nieto 9, Navarro 9, Belangel 9, Daves 6, Credo 5.
GO FOR GOLD-CSB 75: Gutang 21, Haruna 11, Belgica 9, Pasturan 8, Naboa 7, Young 6, Dixon 6, Carlos 5, Leutcheu 2, Nayve 0.
Quarterscores: 20-14, 49-26, 80-55, 103-75.
Second Game
VALENCIA-SSCR 110: Bulanadi 32, Ilagan 28, Calma 9, Villapando 8, Capobres 7, dela Cruz 6, Are 5, Altamirano 5, Sumoda 4, Desoyo 3, Bonleon 3, Calahat 0, Tero 0, Loristo 0.
MARINERONG PILIPINO 104: Ayonayon 23, Aquino 19, Wamar 15, Rodriguez 15, Santillan 12, Asistio 9, Mendoza 6, Reyes 3, Serrano 2, Victoria 0, Bonifacio 0, Bunag 0.
Quarterscores: 30-26, 50-53, 78-68, 100-100, 110-104.
