By JEROME LAGUNZAD
Playoff-bound Gamboa Coffee Mix-St. Clare primed itself up for the bigger battle ahead by taking AMA Online Education to school, 136-90, yesterday in the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Skipper Chris Bitoon shot the lights out with 31 points on an efficient 12-of-18 shooting from the field, making all of his six attempts from beyond the arc, and provided the spark in the second period where the Coffee Lovers pulled away from the undermanned Titans.
It was the second straight victory and seventh overall in 11 matches for Gamboa Coffee Mix, which locked up the fifth spot and forged an intriguing quarterfinals match with Che’Lu Bar and Grill, the fourth-ranked team armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.
Fil-Am sensation Trevis Jackson flirted with a triple-double performance of 26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while CJ Catura and Raymond Rubio led their bench mob with a combined 22-point effort for the Coffee Lovers, who led by as many as 49 points in arguably their best offensive performance so far.
“Si Chris gumanda ang shooting hindi nagmimintis kaya lumobo ‘yung lamang,” said Gamboa Coffee Mix coach Jinino Manansala. “Tapos ‘yung mga bench players binigyan ko ng chance para magpakita. Magandang experience sa kanila ‘yun para sa next game.”
Guard Kyles Lao had a team-high 21 points while big man Andre Paras added 17 points and 13 rebounds in a losing cause for AMA, which missed the services of skipper Rob Manalang, veteran James Martinez and coach Mark Herrera.
The Titans closed out their disappointing campaign with only a win to show after 11 matches, but not after giving the Coffee Lovers the fits, at least in the opening period when they showed some resistance and even took a seven-point lead.
AMA, however, started to crumble when Gamboa Coffee Mix flaunted its full offensive arsenal, with Bitoon leading the charge in their telling 11-to-nothing run that gave them full control from then on.
