Bicol star Alwin Alday shone on both ends in the clutch to lift the Spicy Oragon to a nail-biting 73-72 win over the Nueva Ecija Slashers Thursday night in the Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the San Andres Gym.
Guard Jordan Ingel shoved the Slashers to within 70-71 with a layup with 1:05 remaining but Alday calmly sank two pressure-packed free throws that made it 73-70 in the last 52 seconds.
Nueva Ecija still had a lifeline after forward Jeric Nacpil’s two freebies pegged a 72-73 count and Alday missed on a floater.
But Alday saved the day for Bicol, blocking Kris Torado’s potential game-winning attempt that sealed the Spicy Oragon’s gutsy win in the event presented by Dumper party-list and Winzer and supported by Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with PBA and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as Commissioner.
Alday tallied 13 points, three assists, and two rebounds for Bicol, while Lester Reyes backed him up with 13 markers and five boards.
Mario Bonleon also had 10 and five for the Spicy Oragon.
Nacpil scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Slashers, while Edzel Mag-Isa got 16.
Later, Rence Alcoriza propelled Manila to a 95-87 victory over Batang Kankaloo-Caloocan.
Alcoriza notched 27 points that he laced with seven caroms and four dimes for the Stars, while Kyle Neypes and Levi Dela Cruz added 12 markers each.
Former PBA player Gabby Espinas paced the Koolers with 24 points and eight rebounds, while Dhareeel Caranguian contributed 12 markers.
