EcoOil-La Salle kept its title hopes alive, staving off Marinerong Pilipino with a feisty 70-63 win in Game 2 of the 2022 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Finals Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Green Archers unleashed a scorching start but needed one last stand in the crunch to hold off Marinero’s comeback attempt and drag the quick race-to-two titular showdown to a winner-take-all Game 3.
With little to no break, both teams go at it one last time next Wednesday at the same venue for all the marbles.
Michael Phillips led EcoOil-La Salle’s revenge after a close 72-67 loss in Game 1, collaring a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds plus four blocks, while Schonny Winston, Evan Nelle, CJ Austria, and Kevin Quiambao provided support down the stretch.
Winston added 15 and Austria had 11, while Nelle (8) and Quimbao (6) put on the finishing touches in the last minute for the Taft side.
“We just caught them napping at the start. We came out strong. I know we’re tired as we’re playing almost every day but it’s the mindset for us.
We just came out ready and we played our game unlike in the first game where we played tentative,” said coach Derick Pumaren.
“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.”
With its backs against the wall, EcoOil-La Salle started like a house and fire and raced to an 18-8 lead, setting the tempo that kept Marinerong Pilipino at bay all game long.
Early in the fourth, the Green Archers were still up comfortably at 51-41 following Bright Nwankwo’s thunderous dunk before the Skippers came back and uncorked a 21-12 rally capped off by Conference MVP Juan Gomez de Liano’s booming trey in the 1:21 mark to strike within a point, 62-63.
Nelle then swished three free throws after Kemark Carino’s foul as Quiambao hit a fadeaway dagger in back-to-back possessions to ice it for EcoOil-La Salle.
Jollo Go paced Marinerong Pilipino with 21 points as Gomez de Liano had 14 in a tough losing effort that spoiled his MVP coronation and the Skippers’ potential title clincher.
Meanwhile, Gomez de Liano has been hailed as the Aspirants’ Cup MVP after leading Marinerong Pilipino to the cusp of the championship.
The University of the Philippines product was magnificent all conference long, leading the Skippers from the four-seed to the Finals, which was only the franchise’s second title appearance.
He averaged 18.4 points and 6.3 assists, both league-best, alongsid 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals to be the undoubted leader for Marinerong Pilipino.
Gomez de Liano becomes the second Marinerong Pilipino player to win the MVP trophy after Eloy Poligrates in the 2019 Foundation Cup.
He bested teammate Jollo Go as well as EcoOil-La Salle’s Michael Phillips and CJ Austria, Adalem Construction-St. Clare’s Johnsherick Estrada and John Rojas, and Apex Fuel-San Sebastian’s Romel Calahat and James Una for the trophy.
The championship, though, remains his prime focus.
“Marinero has never won a championship, so that’s my ultimate focus: giving them one and making history with them,” he said.
