MARK Ababon was pesky on defense and reliable on offense as the former Cesafi MVP towed the Arthro/Skygo-backed Tribu Sugbu to a pulsating 82-80 win over the Pagadian Explorers in the Spring Cooking Oil-NBC National Cup elimination round at the Cebu Coliseum Saturday night.
North Cotabato Braves also drowned Spring Cooking Oil-Tagaytay 74-67 in the opening game. Down in Mindanao, Valencia Golden Harvest routed the visiting Montaña-Davao 101-78 at the Valencia City Gym.
Ababon held his ground against former PBA player-laden Explorers on defense while continually sparking the offense, scattering 25 points–16 in the second half—to boost the Al Solis-mentored Kontra Arthritis squad when everything seemed to be hopeless.
The Tribesmen, weakened by the departure of ace guard Ronaldo Bucao and center Joseph Ronald Quiñahan to the PBA, was all business at the start, erecting a 27-16 lead in the first quarter with former FEU stalwart Jherome Gadianne scoring 11, before closing the halftime ahead at 47-37.
Bewildered
The Explorers began its move on the third as Bong Marata scored five on a short 9-0 run that changed the complexion of the game and put many holes on the defense of the bewildered Tribesmen.
Pagadian evened the score at 59-all for the first time at the 2:26 mark of the third, and Michael Orquillas gave the Explorers its first taste of the lead a minute and 11 seconds later.
However, Ababon came to the rescue and scored the next five points, including a buzzer-beating acrobatic shot that gave Tribu Sugbu a 65-61 lead entering the final quarter.
Doroteo Almacin nailed a booming trey at the start of the final quarter, but was quickly silenced by Nelson Asaytono who scored eight of a 10-0 Explorers run for a 71-68 lead at 5:32.
Ababon then took matters into his own hands, fishing the fifth and final foul of Asaytono with an undergoal putback, for a three-point play at the 5:12 mark.
Tribu Sugbu had a 77-73 at the 2:16, but Pagadian was quick to answer with a 6-0 binge.
Lead
After Almacin tied the game with two free throws, 79-all, the Explorers had its last taste of the lead on Naron’s split charities, before Ababon was given another trip to the free throw line at the final 26.7 seconds for an 81-80 lead.
Pagadian’s effort to score the final basket was then stalled twice by Ababon who was all over Marata. But Ababon did not stop there, as he crossed the land of the bigmen to save a lose ball in a scuffle.
However, the ball went to the hands of Melvin Mamaclay who hurriedly threw the leather for a triple that fell off the mark, and Tribu Sugbu got the final position after forcing a jumpball situation with seventeenths of a second remaining to play.
Marvin Mercado sealed the final count with split free throws, as the Arthro/Skygo quintet took its fourth win in seven games.
