ST. Clare College Virtual Reality crushed an undermanned Centro Escolar University, 84-50, Thursday to force a deciding Game 3 in their 2019 PBA D-League semifinal showdown at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Malian center Mohammed Pare showed the way for the Saints with 17 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks while Darwin Lunor tallied 14 points and 11 boards as St. Clare kept its finals hope alive.
St. Clare got its going early, erecting a 23-point edge (32-9) in the first half that took away the fight from CEU. The balloon to as high as 82-48 in the closing minutes of the contest.
Joshua Fontanilla, Junjie Hallare, and Joseph Penaredondo all scored 11 points each for St. Clare, which lost by a point in Game 1.
Game Three is on Tuesday, with the winner advancing to the best-of-five Finals against Cignal-Ateneo.
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"Alam ko na amin na eh kaya maga-adjust kami sa kung anong pwede pa ma-adjust at paghahandaan namin sila," said coach Jinino Manansala.
Franz Diaz scored 17 points to pace CEU. Kurt Sunga had 14 points and seven rebounds.
Senegalese big man Maodo Malick Diouf managed just seven points that went with his 22 boards, and two rejections.
The Scores:
ST. CLARE 84 -- Pare 17, Lunor 14, Hallare 11, Fontanilla 11, Penaredondo 11, Rubio 7, Palencia 5, Santos 2, Rivera 2, Manacho 2, Tiquia 2, Ambulodto 0, Fuentes 0, Decano 0.
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CEU 50 -- Diaz 19, Sunga 14, Diouf 7, Santos 5, Guinitaran 5, Bernabe 0, Abastillas 0, Intic 0.
Quarters: 14-7, 36-19, 60-30, 84-50.
