By ADRIAN STEWART CO
MANILA – Evan Nelle delivered crucial points as EcoOil-DLSU Green Archers stayed alive in the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup Finals with a 70-63 Game 2 win over Marinerong Pilipino Skippers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
After seeing their double-digit lead trimmed to 62-63 by a furious Skippers rally, Nelle converted three free throws from a foul by Marinero’s Kemark Cariño to widen the lead to 66-62 with over a minute left.
The Green Archers then forced a turnover, which led to a fastbreak basket by Kevin Quiambao for a 68-62 lead with 27 seconds left. Michael Phillips and Nelle then sealed the win with free throws.
Nelle finished the game with eight points to go with four rebounds, two assists and two steals as the UAAP Season 84 third placers tied the best-of-three championship series at 1-1.
Phillips led the way with double-double 18 points and 14 rebounds to go with four blocks, while Deschon Winston and Cyrus Austria had 15 and 11 markers, respectively, for the DLSU.
Green Archers head coach Frederick Pumaren credited the strong start by his players that paved the way for their series-tying victory against the veteran-laden Marinerong Pilipino.
“We just caught them napping at the start. We came out strong,” Pumaren said. “We just came out ready and we played our game unlike in the first game where we played tentative.”
“I’m proud of the way the boys kept their pressure. We were playing not to lose but we’re able to correct that and make big mistakes,” added the Ilonggo coach, who is aiming to bounce back from a third place finish by DLSU in the FilOil EcoOil Pre-season Cup recently.
Jollo Go top-scored with 21 points, including three triples, Aspirants Cup Most Valuable Player awardee Juan Gomez de Liaño and Cariño chipped in 14 markers apiece for the Skippers.
The Green Archers and the Skippers will dispute the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup championship in the do-or-die Game 3 slated on Wednesday afternoon still at the same venue.
BOX SCORE:
ECOOIL-DLSU 70 — M. Phillips 18, Winston 15, Austria 11, Nelle 8, Nwankwo 7, Quiambao 6, Manuel 5, B. Phillips 0, Nonoy 0.
MARINERO 63 — Go 21, Gomez de Liano 14, Cariño 14, Pido 5, Soberano 3, Nocum 2, Manlangit 2, Agustin 2, Gamboa 0, Bonifacio 0, Hernandez 0, Bonsubre 0, Lacap 0, Garcia 0.
Quarterscores: 20-10, 34-26, 49-41, 70-63./PN
