Abueva leads NLEX to Finals

NCAA MVP Calvin Abueva came back from his one-game suspension with a vengeance as he helped lift the defending champions NLEX Road Warriors to a whopping 89-60 win over the Big Chill in Game 3 of the best-of-three semifinals series in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup yesterday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The lopsided win sent the Road Warriors into best-of-three titular showdown against Freego Jeans starting Thursday.

After a blowout loss in Game 1 and then allowing a 24-point lead to slip in Game 2 that cast doubt on their championship run, the Road Warriors played with a lot of emotions in the deciding game and left no doubt on who’s the better team.

Abueva, who struck Jessie Collado in the face in Game 1 that warranted his suspension, scored 11 of his game-high 16 points in the first half as the Road Warriors got off to strong start. He capped his energetic performance with three-pointer that gave NLEX a 22-10 lead at the end of the period.

Just like any other do-or-die game, this one featured a lot contacts, pushing and hard fouls with three players—Big Chill’s Jewel Ponferrada and June Dizon and NLEX’s Dave Marcelo—whistled for flagrant foul category one. Box scores:

NLEX 89 – Abueva 16, Garcia 16, Ellis 12, Sanggalang 8, Marcelo 8, Hodge 8, Lanete 6, Monfor 6, Hermida 5, Dehesa 2, Co 2, Arao 0, Belencion 0.

Big Chill 60 – Reyes 16, Custodio 11, Maconocido 9, Collado 7, Jensen 4, Ponferrada 4, Dizon 4, Tan 3, Mallari 3, GAlinatio 0, Santos 0, Glorioso 0./Correspondent Jonas Panerio