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| Pangasinan's Cinderella story enters the next phase. MPBL |
SAN JUAN, MM--Just when San Juan finally got to play at home in the MPBL Playoffs, it also turned out to be its last as Pangasinan's Cinderella run continues.
The seventh-seeded Heatwaves sent the third-seeded Knights packing after an 83-80 Game 3 stunner in front of the latter's raucous crowd at the Playtime FilOil Centre on Thursday night.
Despite blowing a 19-point lead, Pangasinan, which still trailed, 64-69, with less than seven minutes left, showed heart, and it bore fruit when the team went on a 10-1 run that gave them an 81-75 lead with 1:31 remaining.
San Juan fought back and cut the gap down to one, 81-80, with 47.4 seconds remaining, but Vic Manuel scored on a jump hook that upped Pangasinan's lead back to three with 32.7 seconds to go.
Arvin Gamboa tried to tie the game up, but he misfired a left-wing three-point attempt, and JP Maguliano grabbed the crucial rebound.
However, Maguliano, who was struggling from the free-throw line all game long, kept the door open for the Knights to force overtime when he missed two free throws with 14.9 seconds to go.
Gamboa, though, once again failed to capitalize on the situation as he missed a wide-open triple, this time from the right wing, and Michael Mabulac secured the game-saving rebound for the Heatwaves.
"Hindi talaga namin in-expect ito. Maraming hindi naniniwala na makakarating kami dito, so naglaro lang kami na may puso," said Manuel, who led their charge with 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, one block, and two steals.
Not really known for having a solid stroke from beyond the arc, even during his PBA days, Manuel went 3-for-6 from 22 feet out, including two in the second quarter that helped build Pangasinan's largest lead at 36-17 early in the said period.
"This is God's grace that we entered the North finals, said head coach Jerson Cabiltes as the franchise entered the Final 4 for the first time in its young history despite being in the MPBL for two years.
Allyn Bulanadi added 15 points, four rebounds, one assist--which turned out to be the setup for Manuel's dagger--and two steals.
Mabulac chipped in 12 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
The team will face Abra in the North finals beginning next week at the Andres Bernos Memorial Gymnasium in Bangued.
Gamboa put up 16 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block for San Juan, which will miss the national semifinals for the first time since joining in the 2018-2019 season.
