Adalem Construction-St. Clare downed Builders Warehouse-UST, 90-87, to compete the semifinal cast in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) D-League Aspirants’ Cup Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Saints leaned on gunners Johnsherick Estrada and five other cagers came to book a best-of-three date with second-seed EcoOil-La Salle starting Sunday.
Top seed Apex Fuel- San Sebastian, meanwhile, will face Marinerong Pilipino in the other Final Four pairing.
Estrada powered St. Clare with 20 points, five boards, three assists, while Jolo Sumagaysay dropped 14 markers and fired three triples, two boards, and one steal.
Joshua Fontanilla had an all-around game of 12 points, seven boards, seven dimes, while Gab Gamboa and John Edcel Rojas combined for 24 markers.
“Hats off to UST. I know they will play hard and they know how to win already,” St. Clare coach Jinino Manansala said.
On our end, we just told our players that we have to perform this time.”
Rojas powered the Saints to a 13-0 run and built an 11-point lead, 80-69, 8:05 in the fourth.
The scores:
Adalem-St. Clare (90) — Estrada 20, Sumagaysay 14, Fontanilla 12, Rojas 12, Gamboa 12, Ndong 10, Sablan 4, Estacio 0, Tapenio 0, Galang 0, Manacho 0, Victoriano 0, Acosta 0, Decano 0.
Builders Warehouse-UST (87) — Cabañero 19, Baclaan 17, Concepcion 15, Pangilinan 13, Santos 12, Mantua 5, Manalang 4, Manaytay 2, Herrera 0, Stevens 0, Crisostomo 0, Escobido 0, Gesalem 0, Wilson 0, Canoy 0.
Quarters: 24-14, 37-35, 59-57, 90-87.