Carlo Lastimosa canned two charities with 11.9 seconds left as Binan Tatak Gel rallied to nip South Cotabato, 70-69, on Thursday and force a Game 3 decider in their South Division quarterfinal series in the MPBL (Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League) Sixth Season at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
The South Cotabato Warriors got two chances to reverse the outcome, but Jervy Cruz missed an open three and Marwin Dionisio flubbed a short jumper, enabling the Lagunenses to steal Game 2 after narrowly losing the opener, 82-85.
The series will return to the same venue on Oct. 23 to determine which team will advance to the semifinal playoffs against Batangas, which swept Davao Occidental, 89-86, in another South quarterfinal series earlier.
Trailing by as many as 12 points after three quarters, Binan threatened at 64-63 following a 13-2 run by JJ Pido, Jaymar Gimpayan and Philip Manalang.
South Cotabato countered on a jumper by Mark Cruz that trickled in and a triple that bounced in by JP Calvo, 69-63, with 3 minutes and 9 seconds to go, forcing Binan Coach Boyet Fernandez to sue for time.
The Warriors went silent the rest of the way while the Lagunenses scavenged for seven points on three free throws by Nino Canaleta, a layup by Pamboy Raymundo and Lastimosa’s game-clinching charities.
It was veteran Marc Pingris who clinched the best player honors, however, with a team-high 13 points and 3 rebounds.
Others who delivered for Binan were Kenny Roger Rocacurva with 10 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, Jaymar Gimpayan 10 points and 5 rebounds and Michael Heinrich Maestre 9 points and 6 rebounds.
South Cotabato, who ruled the boards, 45-35, got 13 points each from Larry Rodriguez and Val Acuna and 11 points from Jammer Jamito.
The Lagunenses survived despite converting only 2 of 12 triple attempts for 16.7 percent against the Warriors’ 10 of 35 for 28.6 percent.
Batangas City Tanduay Rum banked on Philip Paniamogan’s explosion in the fourth quarter to thwart Davao.
Levi Hernandez chalked 20 points, spiked by four triples, and was chosen the best player over Cedric Ablaza, who posted 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals for Batangas Coach Cholo Villanueva.
