FOR an Apex Fuel-San Sebastian five that failed to live up to expectations in the last NCAA cage wars, there’s no better way to toughen up for next season than to show its true worth in the country’s top developmental league.
Thanks to a fast start and a sustained charge, the Golden Stags turned back the suddenly slumping Knights 70-64 yesterday for their fifth straight win and gained an outright semifinals slot in the PBA Aspirants’ Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Foremost among those who did damage for Apex Fuel-San Sebastian was Romel Calahat, who scattered 18 points, to go with seven rebounds, while Rafel Are had 12 markers, three boards, and two assists.
Rhinwil Yambing also added 10 and seven for the Stags, who scored a fitting follow-up to their 71-62 triumph over Centro Escolar University seven days ago and rose to 5-1.
Wangs Basketball@26-Letran, coming off a 75-81 shocker at the hands of the Scorpions last Thursday, fell to its third straight loss for a 3-3 mark.
In the first game, CEU sprung another surprise, this time at the expense of Marinerong Pilipino, scoring an 84-77 victory to clinch a playoffs berth.
Jerome Santos led the Scorpions with 25 points, 18 of them coming in the second half, and collared nine rebounds, while Lenard Santiago added 13 markers and five caroms.
The win was CEU’s second in a row and hiked its record to 4-3 in a tie with the Skippers.
Marinerong Pilipino failed to bounce back from a surprising 80-88 loss to Builders Warehouse-University of Santo Tomas also last Thursday.
