PBA-DL: Boracay Rum Waves crash over EA Regen, advance to semifinals

The Boracay Rum Waves held on late thanks to the heroics of Maclean Sabellina, against league-newcomers EA Regen Med, winning 71-68, to advance to the semifinal round of the PBA Developmental League postseason, Tuesday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

The Waves, armed with a twice-to-beat advantage thanks to their 7-4 record, did not need the one-game buffer, coming out on top versus the 6-5 EA Regen squad. They will next play the team with the second-best record, Blackwater Sports.

Down 67-64 with less than two minutes left in the game, EA Regen went to Jimbo Aquino who tied the game with a top-of-the-key three. After completing a stop on the other end, EA Regens again called Aquino's number, but he only managed a split from the free throw line on the possession.

In response, Maclean Sabellina wrested the lead back for Boracay Rum, scoring inside with just 31 seconds left in the game for a 69-68 count in their favor. Ian Sangalang got the ball at the post for EA Regens, but he was unable to hang on to it, which led to a jump ball. Boracay Rum won the possession, which forced EA Regens to foul.

"Alam namin kung saan sila pupunta e. Sila, alam namin kung anong play ang gagawin nila," said Lawrence Chongson. "Alam naman talaga namin kung sino kami e. Kakampi lang namin dito sipag at tiyaga."

Sabellina made two free throws to extend Boracay Rum's lead to three at 72-69. Aquino and Clark Bautista had clean looks at the basket but their attempts rimmed out.

"Wala naman kaming pinag-uusapang Thursday," Chongsan said. "Kung pinaabot namin ng Thursday ito, tagilid pa kami."

Sabellina led all scorers in the game with 19 points, none bigger than the last four he scored to win the game for his team. Jaymo Eguilos and Paolo Taha added 10 markers each, while Julius Pasculado and Raymund Ilagan combined for 17, as the Waves produced a balanced attack on offense.

"Mas may pangalan yung mga players sa kabila kaya wala akong ibang ginawa sa mga huling practice namin kung hindi gutumin sila," Chongson said. "Sinasabi ko sa kanila na mas sikat yung mga players sa kabila pero kayang-kaya namin silang talunin."

Boracay Rum started the game with an early run, behind scores by Maclean Sabellina, Jaymo Eguilos, and Paolo Taha. However, Raymund Almazan dominated the later part of the first quarter for EA Regens. The Letran center scored five points and hauled in eight rebounds in the first to trim the Boracay Rum lead down to one point at 17-16, after the initial 10-minute period.

EA Regens quickly took the lead in the second period after four straight points. It was a see-saw battle for most of the quarter after that, up until EA Regens exploded from the three-point area. Jimbo Aquino and Clark Bautista nailed three straight triples for their team to build 38-34 lead, but Sabellina sliced his side's halftime deficit down to a single point, as he converted on an and-one play just as the buzzer sounded.

Alamazan led all scorers with 12 points at the half while also grabbing 10 rebounds. Ex-pro Aquino backed him up with 10 markers. Boracay Rum on the other hand, was led by Sabellina with nine points and Eguilos with eight.

The Waves shot an above-average 48 percent clip from the field, but EA Regens had the lead at the break, as they made more long-range shots and were plus-three in rebounds.


Sangalang, who struggled in the first half with only two points, opened the second half with a basket to put his team up by three, 40-37. The former NLEX Road Warrior and Almazan dominated the boards early in the third period as they grabbed multiple offensive rebounds for second, and even third looks at the basket.

Sabellina scored the first basket of the third for Boracay Rum with an easy lay-up from the baseline for a 42-39 count in favor of EA Regens.

Boracay Rum then continued their run with Raymund Ilagan and Julius Pasculado tag-teaming to give their team a 47-44 lead. However, a fast break lay-up from Alex Nuyles brought EA Regens to within a point.

With exactly one minute left in the third, Sangalang scored on a floater to knot the game anew at 53-all. Pasculado retook the lead for Boracay Rum with an and-one play, but Bautista was fouled while taking a triple at the buzzer. He made all three free throws to tie the ball game at 56-all, heading into the payoff period.

Boracay Rum banked on the penetration of their guards to create opportunities for their big men. They built a four-point lead early in the fourth, but six straight points from Aquino and Nuyles gave the lead back to EA Regens 62-60. Ilagan proceeded to tie the game anew at the 6:15 mark though with a long jumper.

Jeff Viernes found a wide-open Jonathan Fernandez on the left wing for a triple that gave Boracay Rum a 65-62 lead. Eguilos then added a basket to raise their advantage to five points with only four minutes left in the game.

With EA Regens reeling, Nuyles kept his team in the thick of things with a lay-up at the 3:33 mark, leading up to the game's final sequence.

"First quarterfinals at first semis namin," Chongson said after the game. "Nung umpisa niloloko ko yung sarili ko na kaya namin. Naloko ko nga. Nandito na rin lang kami kaya gagawin na namin lahat para makaabot ng finals."

Jimbo Aquino led EA Regens with 17 points while Raymund Almazan added 14 points and 16 rebounds. However, the big man's presence was not felt in the second half as he only scored four points in the final two quarters. Ian Sangalang managed 10 marker in the game but he had a terrible game on offense, as he only converted five of his 16 shot attempts. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Boracay Rum 71: Sabellina 19, Eguilos 10, Taha 10, Pasculado 9, Ilagan 8, Arellano 4, Fernandez 3, Acibar 3, Siruma 3, Tagarda 2, Viernes 0, Bandaying 0

EA Regens 68: Aquino 17, Almazan 14, Nuyles 10, Sangalang 10, Bautista 8, Knuttel 4, Juico 2, Terso 2, Allen 0, Tolentino 0, Miranda 0, Del Rio 0   

Quarter scores: 17-16, 37-38, 56-56, 71-68