Big Chill upsets top-seed NLEX to go up 1-0 in PBA D-League semis
Big Chill defeated NLEX once again this conference Tuesday nailing a convincing 83-66 victory to take Game 1 of the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup semifinal series at The Arena in San Juan.
Jesse Collado finished with 16 points, Alex Mallari hit three three-pointers, Jerry Glorioso had a game-high seven steals and Jewel Ponferrada grabbed a game-high 15 boards to wrest the series opener against NLEX, the league's top-seed.
The wards of Big Chill head coach Arsenio Dysangco will try to book what could be the biggest upset in the history of the young league on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. Game 3, if necessary, is scheduled on January 31.
“We just concentrated on the mental side of the team because we have been prepared on the physical side, try to control NLEX’s running game and force them into a halfcourt game and control them from there,” Dysangco said.
Big Chill began to pull away in the second period holding NLEX to only 31 percent in the first half to grab a 47-32 lead at the turn. Big Chill’s lead even swelled to as high as 28 points when it ended the third on an 11-0 blast for a 70-42 advantage.
The Superchargers were able to stop NLEX’s comeback try with seven consecutive points after the Road Warriors were able to trail by 16 points, 74-58.
RR Garcia led NLEX’s comeback trail in the fourth quarter before finishing with 19 points. Cliff Hodge added 11 points and seven rebounds while Calvin Abueva chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds before he was ejected in the third period. -- OMG, GMA News
The scores:
Big Chill 83—Collado 16, Mallari 15, Glorioso 12, Ponferrada 9, Tan 9, Reyes 6, Maconocido 5, Jensen 4, Custodio 3, Santos 2, Dizon 2.
NLEX 66—Garcia 19, Hodge 11, Abueva 10, Ellis 5, Lanete 5, Marcelo 5, Belencion 4, Sangalang 4, Monfort 3, Hermida 0, Dehesa 0, Co 0.
Quarterscores: 23-21, 47-32, 70-42, 83-66.
Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/245599/sports/basketball/big-chill-upsets-top-seed-nlex-to-go-up-1-0-in-pba-d-league-semis
