THE playoff hopes of Cebu-Casino Ethyl Alcohol suffered a massive blow as it got beaten by Pampanga, 88-77, in the 2019-20 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season, at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

The Sharks dropped to 13-14 (win-loss), for ninth place in the South Division behind eighth-running Bicol-LCC Stores which owns a 15-13 card.

The Giant Lanterns rose to 19-9, picking up their sixth consecutive triumph. They are now tied with Bataan for the fourth and fifth spots.

Trailing by 65-70, Cebu let go of the rope and allowed Pampanga to go on a 14-5 scoring binge capped by Michael Juico's follow-up off a Felix Apreku miss, that put the nail in the coffin, 84-70 with 1:50 left on the clock.

Levi Hernandez scored 21 points for Pampanga while Michael Juico unloaded a huge double-double of 15 markers and 13 rebounds alongside four assists, two steals, and a block.

Dexter Maiquez also registered a double-double of his own with 14 points and 11 boards to go with three dimes, a steal, and a block.

Cebu was led by PBA-bound Will McAloney who had 17 points, 17 rebounds, six steals and two blocks but he hit the showers early after fouling out at the 4:28 mark of the fourth period.

The Scores:

Pampanga 88 - Hernandez 21, Juico 15, Maiquez 14, Apreku 7, Muyang 6, Fabian 6, Thompson 4, Alberto 4, Cruz 3, Gomez 3, Concepcion 0.

Cebu-Casino Ethyl Alcohol 77 - McAloney 17, Octobre 14, Lee Yu 10, Nuñez 9, Ubalde 8, Galvez 7, Coronel 5, Mantilla 3, Viloria 2, Cortes 2, Saycon 0, Lao 0.

Quarterscores: 21-17, 43-41, 65-61, 88-77. (JNP)