Pampanga continued its dominant run in the 2016 Cloudfone-Batang PBA National Finals, this time steamrolling over the Batang Meralco Bolts, 94-43, Wednesday in the penultimate day of the preliminaries at the Philippine Science High School gym in Quezon City.
Vince Artrei Sarmiento poured 19 points, Daniel Troy Paule added 14, Justine Dale Bondoc 11 and Cid Kelly Crisologo 10 points as Pampanga raced to a 26-10 first quarter lead and never getting threatened in cruising to its third straight win and clinching a berth in the crossover semifinals.
Later in the day, Davao City rallied from a 41-39 deficit at halftime to turn back Laguna, 84-75, with Aljay Alloso unloading 25 points, Vince Petdeo Cuajao 20 and Emeliano Escalero 14 points. Laguna, led by the 21 points of John Ashley Los Banez with 21 points and Angelo Alanguilan 18, couldn’t sustain a hot first half, fading in the third quarter against Davao’s sustained comeback.
In the third game, Iloilo made light work of Batang San Miguel Beer, 99-46, as Ryan Calama-an fired 19 points, Giann Paul Nahine 15, Franc Steven Tono 13, Wilmer Dalumpines and Marvin Cuerbo 11 points.
The Cloudfone national finals wrap up the preliminaries Thursday, with the Final Four set Friday and the final on Saturday at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
Scores:
PAMPANGA 94 – Sarmiento 19, Paule 14, Bondoc 11, Crisologo 10, Delfino 8, Miclat 8, R. Pangilinan 8, M. Pangilinan 4, Baluyut 4, Briones 4, Casing-Casing 2, Mallari 2.
MERALCO 43 – De Leon 15, Quimpo 9, Cezar 8, Ramos 3, Abraham 3, Gargar 3, Lagundi 2.
Quarters: 26-10; 41-20; 64-32; 94-43
DAVAO 84 – Alloso 25, Cuajao 20, Escalera 14, Abale 9, Reyes 9, Jamora 2, Pacifico 2, Villasenda 2, Paquera 1, Duran 0, Damaya 0, Villanueva 0.
LAGUNA 75 – Los Banes 21, Alanguilan 18, Limun 9, Defante 6, Clauss 6, Batayon 6, Canet 4, Trinidad 3, Dela Cruz 2, Maat 0, Mance 0, Cuesta 0.
Quarters: 22-23; 39-41; 63-60; 84-75.
ILOILO 99 – Calamaan 19, Najime 15, Tono 13, Dalumpines 12, Cuerbo 11, Gaborno 6, Estonilo 3, Bajon 0, Jimenez 0, Palmos 0, Suares 0.
SAN MIGUEL 46 – Dela Rosa 14, Sta. Cruz 11, Tabo-tabo 7, Chua 6, Evangelio 4, Uy 4.
Quarters: 20-9; 37-19; 72-29; 99-46