September 15, 2019

Saints seek return trip to Final Four

BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare seeks for a return trip to the semifinals when it meets Hyperwash in the 2019 PBA D-League Foundation Cup quarterfinals Monday at Paco Arena in Manila.

The Group B top-seed Saints (6-0) are armed with the coveted win-once incentive in the playoffs and they definitely do not want to waste such advantage against the fourth-ranked Vipers.

The 1:30 p.m. match, though, won't be the first time that the two teams will meet as they have already seen each other last August 1, where BRT Sumisip-St. Clare clobbered Hyperwash by 57 points, 129-72.

Yet as much as his side has the edge in the clash, Saints coach Stevenson Tiu warned that the playoffs is a different beast in itself.

"Pagdating sa quarters and semifinals, syempre it will be a different story," the veteran mentor said. "Lahat ng tambak namin, hindi naman make-carry over, so we have to start from scratch again."

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BRT Sumisip-St. Clare will bank on Malian big man Mohammed Pare, Joshua Fontanilla, and Junjie Hallare, but they have also called in reinforcements in Alfred Batino and Hesed Gabo in this championship quest.

Standing in their way is an upset-hungry Hyperwash side led by JR Cawaling, Khazim Mirza, and Jeric Fortuna.

The Vipers are coming off a 70-64 win over Italiano's Homme last September 5 which allowed them to secure the fourth seed, and they look to keep their winning ways to force a do-or-die match.

"Knowing these kinds of players, kahit bad start kami, nakapag-cope up sila at nakapasok kami sa playoffs. Hopefully mas maging maayos pa tong playoffs para sa amin," said coach Joel Palapal.