DEFENDING champion Nueva Ecija is now in the semifinals of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).

Chris Bitoon made sure about it.

Bitoon scattered 16 points as the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards asserted their supremacy over the Pasay Voyagers, 71-62, in a highly-physical battle to complete a two-game sweep of their scheduled best-of-three quarterfinal showdown at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.

Bitoon, also the hero in Nueva Ecija’s come-from-behind 85-81 victory over Pasay in Game 1. was again the lone Rice Vanguard in double digits to earn his second straight “Best Player of the Game” honors.

“Sa mindset namin, alam namin na mas magiging physical pa talaga yung mga makakalaban namin kasi syempre uhaw sila lahat sa panalo. Gusto rin nila makuha yun championship. Siguro mag-prepare lang kami talaga kami sa practice,” said Bitoon.

“Malaking bagay yun kasi sa practice namin may mga na-i-injury yon ang time na makapag-recover ang bawat isa,” added Bitoon.

Nueva Ecija coach Jerson Cabiltes agreed with Bitoon’s observation.

“We expect na talaga na maging physical yung mga laro. I even reminded the boys to play hard, to play physical but not dirty. Yun nga nangyari talagang na physical yun laban,” explained Cabiltes.

“So it was a low scoring ball game. Definetly, the defense is more intense as compared to the elimination games. Ganyan naman lagi sa playoffs. Both teams should play physical and tough defense,” said Cabiltes.

“Sanay na kami sa physicality, yun team namin sanay na. We’ve been through last year’s playoffs and championship talagang physical din and even sa other leagues ganon din. So we’re just ready.Alam naman namin kung ano gagawin.”

“We always talked about it, even during the huddles before the game. Nagbigay na ako ng advice kung ano gagawin namin in case it’s going to be physical. Ayoko talaga may ma-thrown out sa amin. I don’t want anyone to be involved in this scuffle or anyone na ma-thrown out of the game.”

Nueva Ecija will now meet San Juan, which went through two overtimes to roll back Makati, 95-92, in another North division playoffs encounter and advance to the semis.

The Rice Vanguards led by many as 18 points, 35-17 late in the second quarter, and staved off repeated comeback attempts by the Voyagers to secure the win.

The closest the Voyagers could get was 55-64, on a jumper by Alejandro Antonio Inigo with 3;43 seconds left but Michael Mabulac and Michael Juico of Nueva Ecija scored a basket each and Roi Sumang added a free throw against a lone charity by AJ Coronel.

Juico added nine points, while Sumang and Bryon Villarias contributed eight points each for the Rice Vanguards.

Bryan Wendel Hilario finished with 16 points and six rebounds, followed by Inigo with 11 points and Dhon Reverente with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The scores:

Nueva Ecija (71) – Bitoon 16, Juico 9, Sumang 8, Villarias 8, Balucanag 6, Mcaloney 5, Mabulac 4, Manalang 4, Palma 3, Pagsanjan 3, Collado 2, Taganas 2, Raymundo 1, Siruma 0.
Pasay (62) – Hilario 16, Inigo 11, Reverente 10, Victoria 10, Coronel 8, Serrano 4, Aguirre 2, Chan 1, Peromingan 0, Gomez 0, Bienes 0, Diputado 0
Quarterscores: 15-12, 38-25, 53-40, 71-62.