Che’Lu, CEU in crucial wins, boost drives
Games Monday (Ynares Sports Arena) 11 a.m. – CEU vs Go for Gold 1 p.m. – Marinerong Pilipino vs Batangas-EAC
Che’Lu Bar and Grill unleashed its full might over AMA Online Education, 139-101, yesterday to close in on the first semifinals berth in the 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Skipper Jeff Viernes unloaded 35 points, spiked by seven triples, while former Arellano star Levi Hernandez added 22 points with six rebounds.
Che’Lu bounced back from a 91-83 loss to Marinerong Pilipino last Monday and seized the solo lead with a 6-2 mark. But Revellers coach Stevenson Tiu felt there’s still nothing to celebrate.
“I asked them at halftime, ‘When is good enough?’ Because I felt that their intensity varies, depending on who they are facing. They appeared to be just playing around in the early goings and that is not a good habit,” he said.
Earlier, Centro Escolar University got back at streaking Batangas-Emilio Aguinaldo College, 84-75, to boost its own playoff drive.
Skipper Orlan Wamar dished out an all-around performance of 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds while forward Pierce Chan added 13 points and 10 rebounds to help the Scorpions avert a major collapse.
More important, CEU avenged a 96-90 to Batangas-EAC back in the first round and jacked up its mark to 4-3, joining idle Marinerong Pilipino at the third spot with similar 4-3 records.
Acting coach Derrick Pumaren, however, feels the Scorpions still could not afford to relax since the Generals remain hot on their heels as only the top four teams at the end of the doubleround eliminations will advance to the playoffs.
“We are just one game up. Batangas, with their new players, can still get two or three more wins,” he said. “But you know, we won’t need to worry about that. We have to worry about ourselves right now and take care of our own business.”
The Generals made the Scorpions sweat as they charged back from 19 points down in the fourth period and pulled within 80-75.
However, CEU’s 6-foot-6 Cameroon big man Gilles Oloume came to the rescue with a clutch hit before Wamar sealed the deal with a pair of free throws following a costly error made by Batangas-EAC guard Clark Bautista.