PBA-DL: Air21 JRU force do-or-die game for semis spot versus Big Chill

The Air21 JRU Heavy Bombers kept their postseason alive by snatching a win over the Big Chill Superchargers, 63-61, in the PBA-DL Aspirants Cup quarterfinals, Tuesday, at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan. With the win, the Heavy Bombers neutralized the Superchargers' twice-to-beat advantage to force a deciding second game. Khasim Mirza, last with the PBA's Air21 Express, led all scorers with 12 points and four rebounds. Dexter Maiquez and Nard Pinto scored 11 and 10 points respectively, while adding five boards apiece. In the fourth period, the Superchargers leaned on fast break buckets to stay within striking distance of Air21 JRU who still led, 53-49. However, last conference's finalists began to apply serious pressure when Ryan Buenafe stepped up for his team, knocking down a three-pointer, then three free throws following a fouled trey attempt, to make the bulk of a 10-4 run. In response, Dexter Maiquez made two from the field as the Heavy Bombers now trailed, 59-57, with three minutes to play. Air21 JRU's fortunes changed a minute later when consecutive turnovers led to back-to-back transition buckets for Mirza and Pinto. Big Chill recovered with an undergoal stab by Rodney Brondial with a minute to play, 61-all. Both teams couldn't convert their next offensive possessions, but with 26.5 ticks left Brondial was assessed a foul while angling for a Heavy Bomber miss. Jeckster Apinan was sent to the line, where he made one. The Superchargers called timeout with 25 seconds left, but Alex Nuyles missed the go-ahead corner triple. Instead, Big Chill was forced to foul Michael Mabulac, who split from the line with eight seconds left, 63-61. Mabulac missed the second attempt, and Big Chill forced a jumpball with four seconds remaining. The Heavy Bombers fouled them with two ticks left on the clock, and the Superchargers were forced to settle for a long heave that was wide off the mark. Both teams started the game strong defensively in the first quarter. Big Chill took the early lead, 7-4, thanks to four markers from Jonathan Semira, while on the other end, Air21 JRU relied on charities by Khazim Mirza and Dexter Maiquez to stay in the game. The Heavy Bombers made their first field goal at 3:23 on a basket by John Villarias. But Arvie Bringas replied for Big Chill, scoring four of their next six to install a 15-6 lead with under two minutes to play. Mercifully, Air21 JRU broke into double digits with makes by Villarias and Pinto in the final minute, trailing 15-10 after the first period. Early in the second quarter, the pace quickened as both teams looked eager to find scoring opportunities in transition. The Superchargers extended their lead, 20-14, on a fast break lay-up by Jelo Montecastro. Halfway through the quarter, Air21 JRU were routinely forcing Big Chill to use possessions deep into the shot clock. But despite stringing several turnovers in a row, they couldn't find the bottom of the net on offense. Alex Nuyles broke a four-minute dry spell for the Superchargers, making one in the lane with under four minutes remaining. But Kenneth Ighalo replied with a long two, and the Heavy Bombers closed the period with an 8-2 run, capped by a Mirza fast break lay-up to bring them within two with a minute to play. Big Chill had chances to regain their separation, but Semira and Villahermosa went 1-of-4 from the line in the final minute of the first half. Instead, Pinto converted a lay-up on the last possession to slice the deficit to one, 25-24. After the halftime break, Maiquez and Mirza led a 10-4 run to pad their lead, 34-29. Mac Montilla and Nuyles then scored five straight points to knot the score, but Air21 JRU replied with an 8-2 run, highlighted by an Anthony Del Rio triple, to reinstate a 42-35 advantage. The Superchargers drew within one point with two-and-a-half minutes to play, as Bringas, Collado and Montilla scored six straight. But Air21 JRU countered with penetration moves by Mabulac and Pinto. In the end, Big Chill had the penultimate say of the third, as Janus Lozada scored in transition with 36 ticks to go. Then Semira was fouled with 1.1 remaining from deep, and made 2-of-3 to trim the gap to three, 48-45, after three quarters. Air21 JRU logged a sub-par shooting performance, making only 22-of-68 from the field (32.4 percent) while Big Chill converted 24-of-59 (40.7 percent). Big Chill prevailed against Air21 JRU in fast break points, 16-8. However the Heavy Bombers led in rebounds, 45-43 including 18-14 on the offensive glass, and free throw shooting. Air21 JRU made 18-of-21 attempts (85.7 percent) from the line, while the Superchargers managed only 11-of-22 (50 percent). Arvie Bringas was the sole Supercharger in double-digit scoring with 10 points. Jessie Collado added nine points, while Rodney Brondial, Ryan Buenafe and Mac Montilla added eight markers each. - AMD, GMA News The scores: Air21 JRU 63: Mirza 12, Maiquez 11, Pinto 10, Mabulac 9, Ighalo 8, Villarias 5, Apinan 5, Del Rio 3, Paniamogan 0, Lopez 0, Caperal 0, Almario 0, Miranda 0 Big Chill 61: Bringas 10, Collado 9, Brondial 8, Buenafe 8, Montilla 8, Semira 7, Nuyles 6, Montecastro 2, Lozada 2, Canlas 1, Villahermosa 0 Quarter scores: 10-15, 24-25, 48-45, 63-61