Davao, Zambo down rivals, near Chooks-MPBL semis

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2020 08:18:59 +0000

Anton Asistio of Zamboanga celebrates with his teammates after a clutch basket during their game against Batangas in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan on Monday in Davao City. Zamboanga won, 78-74.

DAVAO CITY – Davao Occidental and Zamboanga endured bumpy rides toward victories in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season South division playoffs on Monday at the Rizal Memorial Colleges Gym here.

Trailing by 11 points in the third quarter, the Davao Occidental Tigers needed two scoring spurts to repel the Bicol Volcanoes,77-71, while Zamboanga Family’s Brand Sardines quashed Batangas City Athletics’ final rally to prevail, 78-74.

The favored Tigers and the lower-rated Zamboanguenos thus moved a win away from advancing to the semifinals.

Ranked No. 5 after the round-robin elimination round, Zamboanga upstaged No. 4 Batangas, for the first reversal of the inter-division quarterfinals.

Opening games of the North division quarterfinals on Feb. 15 saw No. 1 San Juan Knights nip the No. 8 Pasay Voyagers, 75-74, and No. 4 Pampanga Giant Lanterns batter the No. 5 Bataan Risers, 71-64.

Groping for form in the first half, the Tigers trailed by 13 points (34-21) in the second quarter and were still far behind at 33-44 with 6:44 left in the third quarter, posing concern to their hometown fans.

The Cocolife-back Tigers, through the combined efforts of Emman Calo, Mark Yee, Yvan Ludovice, Jayvee Mocon and Billy Robles, finally found their bearing, however, dropping a 15-2 salvo that pushed them on top, 48-46.

The LCC Malls-supported Volcanoes, seed
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