Teams brace for stiffer competition once the playoffs start in the 2017 BPO Classics Intermediate Division.
After getting past their foes last weekend at the Phenom Sports Center, Global Payments and Optum Global Solutions are set to battle the top seeds in the pools in quarterfinals.
Global Payments asserted its superiority over Shell Business Operations, 77-63, and arranged a meet with Pool 2’s no. 1 team Accenture in the playoffs.
After turning a corner in an 18-9 second quarter run, Global Payments never looked back and led by as much as 19, 77-58, late in the game.
Global Payments pounced on SBO’s turnover prone game getting 19 points off it. It also drew huge contributions from the bench with 37.
Four players wound up with double-digit points for Global Payments with Jay-R Tabulog and Guilrom Galang leading the way with 19 and 16 points, respectively.
SBO was led by Johnny Turgo in a losing effort with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Optum, meanwhile, hung on to beat VXI Global, 86-84, for a playoff match up with top seed ARMCO in Pool 1.
While Optum had the lead for majority of a game, even by as much as 18 in the third quarter, VXI Global kept things interesting until the winding seconds.
From a 13-point lead with over six minutes left, Optum saw its lead go down to two, 84-82, with 1:13 to play.
VXI Global, though, botched its chance to take over or tie in the final minute, leaving Optum to go home with the win.
Rey Santos sizzled for Optum with 29 points built on seven triples while Roberto Valdez Jr. added 23 points and whopping 13 rebounds.
In the loss sorry loss, Emilio Callelero II paced VXI Global with 24 points and 19 rebounds along with seven assists.
