Basilan-St. Clare bags PBA D-League crown

BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare Saints’ Alfred Batino protects the ball while being defended by Marinerong Pilipino Skippers’ William McAloney. PBA PHOTO
BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare Saints’ Alfred Batino protects the ball while being defended by Marinerong Pilipino Skippers’ William McAloney. PBA PHOTO

MANILA – BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare Saints captured the 2019 PBA D-League Foundation Cup crown with a 63-60 escape over Marinerong Pilipino Skippers in a do-or-die Game 3 of the finals at the Paco Arena in Manila.

Jhaps Bautista tallied 18 points and eight rebounds while Hezed Leo Gabo and Alfred Batino added 12 and 11 markers, respectively.

The Saints completed its fightback from a 0-1 series deficit in the best-of-three titular showdown.

“Di bumitaw ang mga bata even after we lost Game 1,” said coach Stevenson Tiu. “Yun ang wish ko for how many years sa D-League. Palagi akong second place but this one, ‘yun ang difference dahil ngayon puro young ones na. Maybe it’s destined for me.”

The Saints already took a 61-58 lead after Bautista’s free throws with 1:26 remaining, but Jhonard Clarito gave the Skippers some hope with a basket that cut the deficit to 61-60 with 19.8 seconds to go.

The Skippers seemed to be well on its way to a come-from-behind triumph after Bautista turned the ball over on an inbounds play but Skippers’ Leonard Santillan missed his lay-up off on the other end.

A free throw by Joshua Fontanilla increased the Saints’ edge to 62-60. Skippers’ Mark Yee, however, could not hit a potential game-winning triple.

BRT Sumisip Basilan-St. Clare’s Bautista sealed the win with a free throw.

Negrense Yee finished with double-double 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Clarito also had a double-double as well with 13 points and 15 rebounds for the runner-up Skippers./PN

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