MANILA – Conrad Catapusan drilled a go-ahead triple as Iloilo United Royals pulled off an 89-86 stunner over Bacoor City Strikers in Game 1 of the 2023 MPBL Southern Division first round playoffs on Saturday night at the STRIKE Gym in Bacoor, Cavite.
With the score tied at 86-all after a split free throw by Strikers’ Chito Jaime, Catapusan banked in a three-pointer from beyond the arc to surge the United Royals on top for good at 89-86.
Catapusan finished the game with nine points and two rebounds as the United Royals completed its fightback from 23 points down to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three first round series.
“I just trusted what I can do and nadala lang din sa laro na buti na lang na-shoot,” Catapusan said. “Tsamba na lang din ‘yun eh, buti pumasok and I am very grateful. Job is not yet done, we will try to reach the finals.”
Down 60-37 to start the third quarter, the United Royals relied on consecutive triples from Lorenzo Navarro, Marlon Basco, Joshua Flores, Andrey Armenion and Shaquille Imperial to tie the score at 63-all.
Baskets from Flores and Omar Larupay gave the United Royals a 69-66 advantage but the Strikers quickly regained the lead at 72-69 via back-to-back triples from James Kwekuteye and Jhan Nermal.
The United Royals answered with baskets from Navarro, Catapusan and Larupay as they took an 80-75 lead, but conversions from Strikers’ Kwekuteye and Aaron Jeruta regained them an 83-82 advantage.
Iloilo came back with two straight baskets from Jeffrey Ryan Ongteco and Imperial to give them an 86-85 lead before Bacoor City knotted the score for the last time on a split free throw by Jaime.
Navarro led the way for the United Royals with double-double 16 points and 14 assists, Flores added 14 points and 10 rebounds, Ongteco and Imperial had 13 and 12, respectively, while Larupay had double-double 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Nermal top-scored for the Strikers with 23 points, including five triples, Kwekuteye also ended up with 23 markers, while Yvan Ludovice and Jaime finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively./PN
BOX SCORE:
ILOILO 89 – Navarro 16, Flores 14, Ongteco 13, Imperial 12, Larupay 10, Catapusan 9, Armenion 7, Basco 6, Sumido 2, Guion 0, Nunez 0, Javelosa 0.
BACOOR 86 – Nermal 23, Kwekuteye 23, Ludovice 11, Jaime 10, Yee 9, Eguilos 4, Jeruta 2, Alday 2, Jamito 2, Pasturan 0, Lee Yu 0, Lopez 0, Villoria 0.
Quarterscores: 19-31, 37-57, 69-66, 89-86.
