MANILA – Bicol Volcanoes remains alive in the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go Maharlike Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Season South quarterfinals after an 84-81 escape over Davao Occidental-Cocolife Tigers in Game 2 at the Batangas State University Gymnasium on Feb 21.
With both teams knotted at 69 apiece in the fourth period, the No. 8 ranked Volcanoes leaned on five straight points by Alwyn Alday to establish a 77-69 advantage with over four minutes left.
Then, the No. 1 seed Tigers answered with seven straight points to come to within solitary point, but Alday, Jerome Garcia, and Hafer Mondragon carried the cudgels for the Volcanoes for an 82-78 lead with ticks left at 1:17.
The Tigers made its last push at 81-83 on a split free throw by Joseph Terso and a layup by Chester Saldua, but Alday’s version of a split free-throw, together with the tough defense on the other end sealed the win for the Volcanoes.
“Napakahirap talunin ng powerhouse team. Pero still, kailangan naming mag trabaho, kailangan naming trabahuhin kasi gusto naming manalo, sabi ko kailangan naming trabahuhin hanggang dulo,” said Bicol head coach Monel Kallos.
Alday tallied 18 points to go along with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Garcia also had the same, but just built mostly on five three-pointers. The Volcanoes successfully stretched the match to a do-or-die in Davao City on Feb 27.
Meanwhile,
Batangas-Tanduay Athletics also stayed alive in its own quarterfinals series
after defeating Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines, 84-75, in Game 2.
Jaymo Eguilos had double-double 17 points and 11 rebounds for Batangas./PN
