By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
5 p.m. – Che’Lu vs CEU
Underdog Centro Escolar University and top seed Che’Lu Bar and Grill dispute the right to face Go for Gold in the finals when they meet in the deciding third game of their PBA D-League Foundation Cup semis series today at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Big games from Rich Guinitaran and Orlan Wamar enabled the Scorpions to sneak out an 83-78 victory over the Jeff Viernes-led Revellers Thursday and force the rubber match set at 5 p.m.
Coach Derrick Pumaren would like to see his young CEU squad play with veteran poise as it tries to stun the fancied Che’Lu side and advance to the Foundation Cup Finals for the second straight year.
The Scorpions did the unthinkable the previous year when they ousted the Jeron Teng-powered Flying V in the semifinals.
“The playoff game is a man’s game and that’s what we need to do which is to stand our ground and take what they can give. We have to fight,” said Pumaren.
Guinitaran and Wamar had 20 points each in Game 2 after the two struggled in the Scorpions’ 112-97 defeat in the series opener.
CEU expects to see Che’Lu come out with a more determined effort, especially with Viernes, a contender for the Most Valuable Player award, expected to deliver big numbers anew.
Viernes unloaded 19 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2, nearly sealing Che’Lu’s entry to the finals for the second straight conference.
Go for Gold earned the first finals berth in the tournament after sweeping Marinerong Pilipino-TIP in their own best-of-three semifinal series.
