Ecooil La Salle earned a return trip to the Finals of the 2023 PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup.
The defending champs got the job done by routing University of Perpetual Help System Delta, 108-91, in Game 2 on Tuesday to complete a sweep in the best-of-three semifinal series at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Determined and motivated, the Archers raced to a 28-13 advantage early on and never gave their overmatched opponent any chance to keep the game close.
La Salle will face the winner of the other semifinal series between Wangs Basketball @27 Strikers-Letran and Marinerong Pilipino-San Beda in a best-of-three finale.
Prince Ray Alao fired 12 of his 22 points in the first half as Green Archers stretched the lead 51-36.
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JC Macalalag, stepping up in the absence of the injured starting guard Evan Nelle, scored 11 points while Kevin Quiambao, Bright Nwankwo and EJ Gollena chipped in 10 apiece during that back breaking attack.
"This is a venue to show and apply what we're learning. Masaya kami sa pinakita namin this playoffs but we're not contented yet," said deputy coach Gian Nazario, who is handling the team in the tournament on the instruction of head coach Topex Robinson.
Perpetual, which finished the elims at No. 3, never recovered from its sluggish start and with it went whatever chance it had of evening the series.
John Abis led the Altas with 21 points top gun Cyrus Nitura misfired and bled for only four points.
The Scores:
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EcoOil-La Salle 108 - Alao 22, Macalalag 11, Quiambao 10, Gollena 10, Nwankwo 10, Austria 9, B. Phillips 9, M. Phillips 8, Nonoy 7, Cortez 5, Escandor 3, Manuel 2, Abadam 2, David 0.
Perpetual 91 - Abis 21, Pagaran 19, Ferreras 19, Razon 11, Ramirez 8, Roque 5, Nitura 4, Sevilla 2, Boral 2, Barcuma 0.
Quarterscores: 30-17, 51-36, 86-59, 108-91.
