By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Tomorrow
(Ynares Sports Arena)
2 p.m. – Akari-Adamson vs Che’Lu Bar and Grill
4 p.m. – Marinerong Pilipino vs Zark’s Burgers
Cameroonian Mike Nzeusseu and the Marcelino twins – Jaycee and Jayvee –finished in overtime what top gun CJ Perez failed to do in regulation as Zark’s Burgers got back at Marinerong Pilipino, 90-87, yesterday to move a win away from advancing to the 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants Cup finals.
The 6-foot-6 Nzeusseu capped his team-high-tying 20-point production with a rim-rattling left-handed dunk with 5.5 seconds left while the Marcelino twins combined for 30 points and made several key plays down the stretch to help the Jawbreakers upstage the well-rested Skippers before a raucous Pasig City Sports Center crowd.
The thrilling victory came on the heels of its impressive two-game conquest of No. 3 Centro Escolar University in the quarterfinal round last week and avenged its 94-92 loss to Marinerong Pilipino in the eliminations, giving Zark’s Burgers all the confidence it needs as it goes for the kill in tomorrow’s Game 2.
“I really don’t know how to do it but these guys just know how to play,” said Jawbreakers coach Topex Robinson, sweating profusely. “They just keep on persisting and not giving up. You don’t feel the pressure in them and of course, na-intimidate sila dahil maingay ‘yung crowd. But I just told them to keep on playing.”
That’s precisely what the Jawbreakers did after they trailed by as many as 16 points in the third period and appeared down for the count when the Skippers took control anew at 78-71 with three minutes to play in regulation.
But Zark’s Burgers’ resiliency came to the fore anew, with the 6-foot-2 Perez racking up seven of his 20 points in successive fashion that sparked a familiar fightback for an 81-78 advantage with 49.4 seconds remaining.
However, veteran guard Billy Ray Robles came to the Skippers’ rescue completing an unconventional three-point play when he turned a missed freebie into a huge putback that evened things up going, time down to just 26.4 seconds.
In the ensuing play, Perez had the chance to seal the deal for the Jawbreakers when he was fouled by Skippers center Abu Tratter while attempting an 18-foot jumper with 3.2 ticks to play.
