By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(JCSGO Gym, Cubao)
12 p.m. – Marinero vs Gamboa Coffee
2 p.m. – Wang’s Basketball vs CEU
Flashing its deadly form of old, Zark’s Burgers turned back Go for Gold, 108-94, yesterday to get its 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup title campaign back on track at the JCSGO Gym in Cubao, Quezon City.
Skipper CJ Perez registered 23 points and seven rebounds while Cameroon center Mike Nzeusseu tallied 21 points, and 11 rebounds as the Jawbreakers pulled away from the Scratchers behind a big 21-3 assault in the opening period and never let up.
The morale-boosting victory enabled Zark’s Burgers to stop a three-game bleeding and jack up its record to 5-4, pulling half-a-game behind Wang’s Basketball and Gamboa Coffee Mix which currently share the fifth to six spots.
“It’s been a while and we’re happy that we got back to winning ways,” said Jawbreakers coach Topex Robinson, who got 52 points from his shock troopers, 31 of those coming from pesky guard Jaycee Marcelino and MJ Ayaay.
“Reminder lang naman din, we just have to play our game. Nothing’s gonna change. What’s important with us is that we learn from the mistakes we made last game and then try to get better all the time.”
Matt Salem came off the bench and tallied a team-high 24 points, half of them coming from beyond the arc, while Yankee Haruna added 22 points that all went down the drain as Go for Gold slipped down to eighth spot with a 4-6 mark.
Earlier, Nigerian center Prince Eze dominated with a ’20-20’ performance as Perpetual Help eliminated AMA Online Education from playoff contention, 89-81.
The 6-foot-11 Eze towered above everyone else with 22 points and 20 rebounds on top of four blocks while Rey Peralta added 17 points off the bench to help the Altas stop a three-game losing streak and improve their mark to 3-5.
