Davao Occidental gets revenge, beats San Juan in OT for first MPBL title

A new name was carved at the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League National Championship trophy in Subic Bay Sunday evening as Davao Occidental needed five more minutes to dethrone San Juan 89-88 to conclude the Lakan Season Finals.

Mark Yee hit the biggest triple of his career when his rainbow shot over Jeff Tajonera in overtime became the title-clincher, as the Tigers wrapped up the series in four gruelling games in a deserved revenge over the Knights for their maiden title inside the bubble.

It took them two years since Jhonard Clarito broke Davaoeno hearts in the finale of the Datu Cup on their own floor, but for Don Dulay and his crew, it has been worth the wait.

"Payback. It's so much sweeter because we got it back from San Juan. We were so close last time and it was heartbreaking as an organization," said the newly minted coach of the year who took the Tigers to the top of the Southern Division once more with a 26-4 record in the regular season.

With Eman Calo leading all scorers with 22 points, it was the former PBA veteran who notched a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds in a pivotal contest and was deadeye from both inside and out with his 60% clip from the field.

Already adjudged as the league’s best defensive player, Yee also took home the Finals MVP award, as he had double-double averages of 13.5 points and 10.25 rebounds for the Tigers in the series.

DavOcc led by as much as 16, 37-21 in the second period, before San Juan fought back to take a four-point edge after the third quarter but could not make the most of the chances to take the series into the fifth and final game by Monday, as Joseph Terso’s charities sent it to overtime for the second time in the bubble.

Larry Rodriguez top-scored for the Knights with 19 markers, but it was his offensive foul that doomed them, as it set up the eventual championship-sealing trey by Yee with 13.4 seconds remaining in the extra session.

Clarito backstopped his veteran teammate with 18 points, but he was foiled by the 39 year-old on San Juan’s final play of the season, and their fate was sealed when the ball was touched last at the leg of the former.

Alongside the two, CJ Isit’s double-double of 14 points and 10 assists were not enough, as MVP John Wilson only had 13 in the defeat.

Mike Ayonayon have wrapped up his career in the MPBL with a whimper as he was held to just three points, and was saddled with a left hamstring injury that kept him out since the second half.

The scores:

DAVAO OCCIDENTAL 89 – Calo 22, Yee 19, Terso 11, Robles 11, Mocon 9, Balagtas 8, Gaco 4, Saldua 3, Custodio 2, Albo 0, Ludovice 0

SAN JUAN 88 – Rodriguez 19, Clarito 18, Isit 14, Wilson 13, Wamar 7, Tajonera 6, Gabawan 4, Ayonayon 3, Aquino 2, Reyes 0, Pelayo 0

QUARTER SCORES: 24-18, 40-31, 56-60, 80-80 (reg.), 89-88 (OT)

PHOTOS: Chooks-To-Go/MPBL