DEFENDING champion Davao Occidental- Cocolife brought down hard-fighting Pampanga Royce Hotel, 88-80, in the deciding Game 3 of their best-of-three semifinals showdown in the Manila Bankers Life-Pilipinas Super League Pro Division Second Conference Dumper Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Tigers rode the hot hands of former PBA player John Wilson, who fired 22 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

Renzo Subido also had 17 points and two assists, while Gab Dagangon and Marco Balagtas combined for 17 for the Don Dulay-mentored Davao Occidental crew.

The win came on the heels of the Tigers’ 82-77 triumph in the second game of the race-to-2 series last Wednesday and more importantly enabled them to forge a best-of-three finals duel with the Pampanga G Lanterns.

Game 1 of the Big Dance is set next week in the tilt presented by Dumper party-list, Winzir, and Skin Care Depot, co-presented by SCD Cosmetics, and supported by NET 25, Adcon, Wcube Solutions Inc., MDC, Unisol, Don Benitos, and Finn Cotton, with PBA and Gilas Pilipinas great Marc Pingris serving as Commissioner.

After taking a 38-34 cushion at the halfway mark, Davao Occidental padded the difference to 65-53 and thwarted Pampanga Royce’s repeated comeback bids in the final stanza.

Two free throws by Allen Liwag whittled the deficit to 74-80 in the last 1:01 but Subido boomed in a backbreaking three-pointer from the left corner that pegged an 83-74 count, only 42.1 ticks left that took the fight out of Pampanga Royce.

“He (Dulay) just told us to keep our composure and make sure we finish the game strong and make sure walang injuries,” Subido said.

“Ang nasa isip ko lang pagdating sa finals ay we have to play as team and sa part ko I have to be consistent every game,” added Wilson.

Jolo Mendoza led the way for Pampanga Royce with 24 points, while JB Bahio and Liwag got 14 and 12, respectively.

The scores:

Davao Occidental-Cocolife (88) – Wilson 22, Subido 17, Dagangon 9, Balagtas 8, Abundo 7, Rodriguez 6, Agovida 6, Celiz 6, Calo 5, Jimenez 2, Robles 0.

Pampanga Royce Hotel (80) – Mendoza 24, Bahio 14, Liwag 12, Gozum 7, Navarro 6, J. Flores 5, Cullar 4, C. Flores 4, Palencia 2, Villapando 2, Yambing 0, Verano 0, Sangco 0, Huang 0.
Quarterscores: 21-21, 38-34, 65-53, 88-80.