By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tomorrow (Pasig City Sports Center)
2 p.m. – CEU vs Batangas-EAC
4 p.m. – Go for Gold-CSB vs AMA
Gamboa Coffee Mix appears to be the gatecrasher in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup six-team playoff party. But that’s the least of coach Jinino Manansala’s concerns.
After all, the Coffee Lovers, built around the core of NAASCU powerhouse St. Clare College, have proven they have what it takes to get the job done against their fancied rivals, something that Manansala hardly expected at the start.
“Ang ini-expect ko lang sa team na ‘to, lalaban lang. ‘Yung mga panalo, bonus na lang ‘yun,” he said as the magnitude of Gamboa Coffee Mix’s all-important 87-76 win over erstwhile favored Wang’s Basketball-Letran last Tuesday has yet to sink in.
“Win or go home na kami (in this game). Sabi ko, ‘Kaya naman pala namin manalo ng six games.’ Malaking bagay ‘to para sa amin,” added Manansala, referring to the Coffee Lovers’ 6-4 record that proved enough to advance to the quarterfinal round for the first time in franchise history.
Fil-Am guard Trevis Jackson led their charge with 29 points, backcourt buddy Chris Bitoon added 22 points and the frontcourt duo of Aris Dionisio and Mali center Mohammed Pare anchored the lane with a combined 23-point, 25-rebound, seven-block performance.
