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| Philip Manalang attempts a fallaway jumper against Joey Barcuma. MPBL |
MANILA--Parañaque provided the biggest silencer at the Vitaliano Agan Coliseum in Zamboanga City on Monday night as the team eliminated Zamboanga from MPBL playoff contention right at the latter's home with a 72-70 win in the rubber match of their South Division quarterfinals.
Paranaque turned to its solid defense that saw Zamboanga only scoring five points within the last six minutes of the game to steal the crucial road win.
After conceding a Bong Galanza three that broke a 62-all tie in favor of Zamboanga with 6:25 left, Paranaque held them scoreless for nearly three minutes with Kristan Hernandez and Jielo Razon scoring to give them a 66-65 lead.
Renzo Subido scored on a floater to give Zamboanga its last taste of the lead at 67-66, with 3:28 to go, but another dry spell ensued for the next 3:23 as Paranaque hit five straight points during the stretch for a 71-67 advantage.
Chito Jaime kept Zamboanga in the game with a fastbreak three that cut the lead down to one, 71-70, with five seconds remaining.
John Oduba only made a split from the free throw line that gave Zamboanga coach Louie Alas many options to consider in his last timeout with four seconds.
Alas eventually decided to just force overtime, but Joseph Gabayni badly missed his layup attempt and let Paranaque escape.
Hernandez went 6-for-6 from close range and finished with 17 points and six rebounds to lead Paranaque, which will face Quezon in the South semifinals beginning next Monday at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena.
Razon added 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block.
Subido had 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting, one rebound, three assists, and one steal for Zamboanga, whose defeat means both teams that entered the playoffs as the fourth seed were knocked out in the first round after fourth-seeded Manila was swept by fifth-seeded Caloocan in the North.
The last national quarterfinal berth will be disputed on Wednesday night as South Cotabato and Binan face off one last time at the latter's home, the Alonte Sports Arena, with the winner facing Batangas City next.
Box Scores:
PARANAQUE 72 - Hernandez 17, Ubuda 16, Razon 15, Sarao 9, Martel 6, Olegario 3, Castro 3, Manalang 2, Pido 1, Abugan 0, Elorde 0, Loyola 0, Gallano 0, Ruaya 0, Umali 0.
ZAMBOANGA 70 - Subido 13, JC Marcelino 11, Galanza 10, Gabayni 8, Terso 7, Publico 5, Santos 4, Solis 4, Barcuma 3, Jaime 3, Mahari 2, Alas 0, Ignacio 0, JV Marcelino 0, Celestino 0.
Quarterscores: 18-16, 34-33, 55-57, 72-70
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