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| The Quezon Huskers celebrate after clinching the South Division crown over the Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters. MPBL |
LUCENA--LJay Gonzales delivered the killer blows as the Quezon Huskers bested the Batangas Tanduay Rum Masters, 65-60, on Thursday and clinched the South Division crown of the MPBL Sixth Season at the packed Quezon Convention Center.
Reprising his Game Two heroics, Gonzales scored the Huskers' last 13 points, handing Quezon a 2-1 victory in the best-of-three series and a trip to Dubai for the National Finals against North Division champion Pampanga.
Batangas was ahead, 55-52, when Gonzales bunched 10 points, sandwiched by two triples, that pushed Quezon ahead, 62-55, with 1 minute and 33 seconds left.
Jong Baloria, Kris Porter, and Cedrick Ablaza countered for Batangas, 60-62, with 30 seconds to go, but Jason Opiso found Gonzales open for the breakaway drive that virtually sealed the outcome.
After sorry misses by Batangas, the 5-foot-11 Gonzales, a former star of the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, split two charities with 7 ticks left to cap his heroics worthy of the Daily Fantasy best player honors.
Inspired by the presence of family members, who traveled all the way from Isabela to watch the game, Gonzales wound up with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals.
Other Huskers who delivered for Coach Eric Gonzales were Judel Fuentes with 14 points plus 5 rebounds, Jaspon Opiso with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, and Gab Banal with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
Batangas got 16 points and 4 rebounds from Cedrick Ablaza, 14 points and 3 rebounds from Jong Baloria, and 9 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals from CJ Isit.
The Rum Masters were hampered by their inability to convert their free throws, sinking just 19 of 39 attempts for 48.7 percent. In contrast, the Huskers made 9 of 10 charities for 90 percent.
With Fuentes sinking three triples, the Huskers took the first quarter, 19-15.
Batangas, powered by Baloria and Ablaza bunched 12 points to surge ahead, 29-22.
Quezon rallied from an eight-point deficit (56-64) in the last two minutes to stun Batangas, 65-64, on seven straight points by Gonzales and a putback by Jason Opiso with 1.9 left to force the decider.
In Game One, Batangas beat Quezon, 75-69, in the Huskers' first game at the Lucena Convention Center.
As early as 7 a.m., fans started trooping to the venue, where the majority of the tickets were distributed.
Quezon and defending champion Pampanga will clash in a best-of-five series for the MPBL national title. Game One and Game Two will be held on Dec. 1 and 3 in Dubai, UAE.
