By Jonas Terrado
Games Thursday
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig City)
1 p.m. – AMA vs APEX-San Sebastian
3 p.m. – Builders-UST vs TIP
5 p.m. – FamilyMart vs SEAOIL-FEU
EcoOil-La Salle gave new coach Derrick Pumaren a welcome victory after fending off the comeback attempt of Wangs-Letran, 102-90, at the start of the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup Monday at The Arena in San Juan.
The Green Archers were in control from start to finish, leading by a high of 19 points, before putting the stops on the Knights’ uprising led by last year’s NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player Fran Yu to open their campaign on a high note.
Holdovers Encho Serrano, Justine Baltazar, Aljun Melecio and Brandon Bates and new recruits Joshua David, Senegalese center Amadou Ndiaye produced key numbers to give Pumaren a win in his first competitive game since reassuming the role as La Salle coach.
“I’m glad we came out winning this ballgame, but we’re still far from the form that I want them to play,” said Pumaren, who was hired in early-January after a successful run at Centro Escolar University.
He cited the 35 fouls committed by his team, with Ndiaye and Tyrus Hill getting disqualified for six personals and Bates and David getting five and four.
Serrano had 19 points, eight rebounds and three assists, Baltazar posted 16 points and 12 rebounds, Melecio 15 points, six rebounds and eight assists, David 12 points, six rebounds and eight assists and Ndiaye with 12 points and eight rebounds.
Bates didn’t score in 15 minutes but was able to grab seven boards with Ndiaye saddled with fouls.
La Salle led 53-34 late in the second quarter, but Wangs, led by the core of last year’s NCAA champion Letran, tried to make things interesting in the fourth behind Yu, who scored 14 in the fourth.
Yu buried two triples during the rally and fed southpaw center Ato Ular for a layup to cut the Knights’ deficit to 84-78, 5:27 remaining in the fourth.
But a three by Melecio sparked a 6-2 response by the Green Archers to make it 92-80 with under four minutes to go.
