MANILA – Nicael Cabañero heated up in the fourth as Builders Warehouse-UST Tigers pulled off an 88-80 upset over Marinerong Pilipino Skippers in the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
After seeing its once 12-point lead trimmed to 63-67, Cabañero sparked a mini run by the Tigers with a triple followed by a layup by Kean Baclaan and two free throws by Bryan Santos for a 74-65 lead.
The Skippers rallied to within 69-74 but two three-pointers and a twinner by Cabañero followed by another outside shot from Sherwin Concepcion widened UST’s leas to 86-75 with a minute left.
Cabañero finished the game with 18 points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter, as the Growling Tigers notched its second win in as many days to improve to 2-4.
Concepcion chipped in 18 markers, including four outside conversions, while Santos, Baclaan and Paul Manalang contributed 16, 15 and 10 markers, respectively, for UST.
Juan Gomez de Liaño and Arvin Gamboa finished with 18 markers apiece, while Kemark Cariño added 10 markers as the Skippers slumped to 4-2 win-loss slate.
In the first game, Centro Escolar University Scorpions (3-3) boost its hopes of making it to the playoffs after an 81-75 stunner of Wangs Basketball @26-Letran Knights (3-2).
Defense was on-point for the Scorpions as they held the Knights scoreless from the 1:19 mark of the third frame as it raced to a 72-56 lead with 4:02 left in the fourth.
The Knights rallied back with Kurt Reyson making it a four-point game, 79-75, with 19.4 seconds remaining, but Ilonggo Franz Diaz canned the crucial freebies to secure the win for the Scorpions.
Diaz finished with 22 points and seven rebounds, Jerome Santos chipped in 14 points, while Nigerian big man Victor Balogun contributed 13 points, five rebounds and three blocks for the Scorpions.
BOX SCORE:
BUILDERS WAREHOUSE-UST 88 — Cabañero 18, Concepcion 18, Santos 16, Baclaan 15, Manalang 10, Manaytay 4, Mantua 4, Pangilinan 2, Stevens 1, Wilson 0.
MARINERONG PILIPINO 80 — Gomez de Liaño 18, Gamboa 18, Cariño 10, Agustin 7, Nocum 7, Pido 6, Bonifacio 6, Hernandez 4, Lacap 2, Bonsubre 2, Garcia 0.
Quarterscores: 19-17, 32-32, 59-54, 88-80./PN
