ADALEM Construction-St. Clare and Apex Fuel-San Sebastian forced deciding Game 3s of the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup semifinals after getting back at their respective foes yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Saints downed EcoOil-La Salle, 72-64, while the Stags repulsed Marinerong Pilipino, 82-74, to level their respective best-of-three series at one game apiece.

The winner-take-all matches is set on Wednesday at the Big Dome.

Johnsherick Estrada scored the game’s biggest basket, a shot clock-beating triple at the 1:50 mark that gave Adalem-St. Clare a 70-64 cushion.

The Green Archers, who won by 15 points take grab the series lead last Friday, went scoreless in the final 2:49 after a Kevin Quiambao dunk.

Coach Jinino Manansala made sure that EcoOil-La Salle won’t pull away late in the third period just like what happened in the semis opener.

“Nagpalit ako ng mga tao sa loob na talagang siguradong makapaglabas ng bola at tsaka makapag-break ng press. They scored 35 points sa turnovers namin (in Game 1), which is big,” said Manansala. “Yun nga, knowing coach Derrick (Pumaren), sa press, magaling iyan so kailangang ma-break namin iyan. Heto ang nangyari, nakuha namin ang panalo.”

Estrada paced the Saints with 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and two blocks, while Joshua Fontanilla, bouncing back from a disappointing two-point outing in the series opener, chipped in 21 points.

Ben Phillips was the lone Green Archer in twin digits with 15 points, as Schonny Winston, who scored 24 points on 8-of-16 shooting in Game 1, could only muster five points, missing all but one of his 11 attempts from the field.

Ichie Altamirano presided Apex Fuel-San Sebastian’s telling 14-3 run, scoring six of his 13 points in the final 6:06 to stave off elimination.

It was the Stags’ first win against the Skippers this season.

“Credit to the boys, kasi alam naman natin kung gaano kahirap talunin ang Marinero na all-star. Malalakas talaga,” said Apex Fuel-San Sebastian coach Egay Macaraya.

“But the effort is there. Palagi kong sinasabi sa kanila, they work hard then good things will happen. Na-prove naman na kaya namang manalo.”

Rommel Calahat produced a double-double effort of 15 points and 10 rebounds to go with two assists while Jessie Sumoda chipped in 14 points, eight boards and three steals.

Marinero’s loss negated Jollo Go’s 28-point explosion. Juan Gomez de Liaño contributed 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals while Rence Nocum had 10 points, four steals and two assists.

The scores:

First game

Adalem-St. Clare (72) — Estrada 22, Fontanilla 21, Rojas 9, Estacio 6, Sablan 5, Galang 5, Ndong 2, Lopez 2, Gamboa 0, Sumagaysay 0, Manacho 0.
EcoOil-DLSU (64) — B. Phillips 15, Quiambao 9, Nelle 8, M. Phillips 8, Nwankwo 8, Austria 6, Winston 5, Escandor 3, Estacio 2, Blanco 0.
Quarterscores: 14-19, 34-29, 51-52, 72-64

Second game

Apex Fuel-SSC-R (82) — Calahat 15, Sumoda 14, Altamirano 13, Are 10, Desoyo 10, Felebrico 8, Villapando 6, Escobido 4, Yambing 2, Cosari 0, Shanoda 0, Suico 0, Garcia 0.
Marinero (74) — Go 28, Gomez de Liaño 11, Nocum 10, Agustin 9, Gamboa 7, Cariño 4, Manlangit 3, Pido 2, Bonifacio 0, Soberano 0, Bonsubre 0, Garcia 0.
Quarterscores: 16-11, 35-34, 60-58, 82-74.