Bicol star Alwin Alday shone on both ends in the clutch to lift the Spicy Oragon to a nail-biting 73-72 escape over the Nueva Ecija Slashers last Thursday night in the Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the San Andres Gym.
Guard Jordan Ingel shoved the Slashers to within 70-71 with a layup with 1:05 remaining in the fourth quarter but Alday calmly sank two pressure-packed free throws that made it 73-70 in the last 52 seconds.
Nueva Ecija still had a lifeline after forward Jeric Nacpil’s two freebies pegged a 72-73 count and Alday missed on a floater.
But Alday saved the day for Bicol, blocking Kris Torado’s game-winning attempt that sealed the Spicy Oragon’s gutsy win in the tilt presented by Dumper party-list and Winzer and supported by Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with PBA and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as Commissioner.
Alday tallied 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds for Bicol, while Lester Reyes backed him up with 13 markers and five boards.
Mario Bonleon also had 10 and five for the Spicy Oragon.
Nacpil scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Slashers, while Edzel Mag-Isa got 16.
Later, Rence Alcoriza propelled Manila to a 95-87 victory over Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan.
Alcoriza notched 27 points that he laced with seven caroms and four dimes for the Stars, while Kyle Neypes and Levi Dela Cruz added 12 markers each.
Macky Acosta finished with 11 points and five rebounds in Manila’s winning effort. In his Stars debut, Maurice Shaw got four rebounds and two points in 11 minutes.
Former PBA player Gabby Espinas paced the Koolers with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Dhareeel Caranguian contributed 12 markers.
Action resumes on Monday with Koponan Lakan Bulakan taking on Nueva Ecija at the Caloocan Sports Complex.
Bicol guns for a second straight win against Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan.
The Scores
First game
BICOL 73 – Alday 13, Reyes 13, Bonleon 10, Montuano 9, Castro 6, Carandang 5, Destacamento 4, Yu 4, Pingoy 4, Martinez 2, Lao 2, Olegario 1, Contojos 0, Sumalinog 0, Pido 0.
NUEVA ECIJA 72 – Nacpil 19, Mag-Isa 16, Bautista 9, Juanico 5, Bartolo 5, Ingel 4, Tolentino 4, Ferreria 3, Mancao 2, Villaroman 2, Torado 2, Garcia 1, Vegiga 0, Acop 0, Ingusan 0.
Quarters: 20-18, 32-40, 58-53, 73-72.
Second game
MANILA 95 – Alcoriza 27, Neypes 12, Dela Cruz 12, Acosta 11, Acibar 7, Gayosa 7, Dela Torre 5, Escosio 4, Arellano 4, Mangahas 2, Shaw 2, Manalo 2, Bataller 0, Morales 0, Celada 0.
BATANG KANKALOO-CALOOCAN 87 – Espinas 24, Caranguian 12, Sanga 8, Galicia 8, Cervantes 6, Santos 6, Laude 5, Gonzales 4, Tayongtong 4, Casin 3, Inigo 3, Manalang 2, Valin 2, Orquina 0, Cinco 0.
Quarters: 20-23, 48-46, 71-60, 95-87.
