It was definitely a better season this year for Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors after they claimed third place in the Chooks-to-Go Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Invitationals.
The Realtors were not expected to go this far as they settled for a bronze-medal finish with their 100-80 demolition of Imus-Buracai de Laiya, on Thursday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We had small expectations from last year. But I think we exceeded them this year,” said team skipper Jeric Teng after the squad took the P200,000 cash for the third-placed squad.
Their performance this year was better than expected, since the Realtors lost twice to Manila in their best-of-three first round encounter in the 2020 MPBL Lakan Cup.
The Realtors quickly took control of the game, as they were fired up after taking a 72-77 setback to the Basilan-Jumbo Plastic Medical Depot cagers on Wednesday evening.
“Kailangan mag-bounce back kami. Nag-follow naman ang mga players,” said Realtors’ coach Bong de la Cruz.
Small forward Jeckster Apinan showed the way for the Realtors, firing 16 points, with his three-point play in the last 1:32 of the first period pushing them slightly ahead, 21-19.
Pasig slowly gained some distance early in the second canto with his driving layup in the last 9:20 putting them ahead by six, 25-19.
Teng shot 16 points for the Realtors, shooting six points in the final two seconds of the second period, with his two charities putting them up by 12, 53-41.
Apinan’s inside presence in the remaining 4:53 allowed the Realtor to move up by 19, 64-45.
Genmar Bragais powered Imus-Buracai de Laiya with 23 points to go with six rebounds and two assists.
Kurt Reyson shot 14 points including four triples while Jhaymo Eguilos had 10 points, five rebounds, and four assists for Imus, which failed to advance to the finals after it took a 76-82 loss to Nueva Ecija in the semis.
