TOYOTA Otis came prepared but Harbour Centre was not to be denied as the Batang Pier outlasted the Sparks for the second straight time, scoring a 99-92 win yesterday to clinch the first semis berth in the PBL Livopitan Amino Sports Cup at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym in Manila.

In a reprise of their first-round meeting, Harbour Centre went to TY Tang and Jason Castro in the stretch to hike their winning run to 10. Castro and Tang combined for 13 of the team’s final 15 point to ward off the spirited challenge of the Sparks.

"For the first time in a long while, we played as team from start to finish. Everybody contributed but I have to credit my two little big men in Jason and Ty," said Harbour Centre coach Jorge Gallent.

The Batang Pier saw their 14-point lead early in the final period reduced to seven 84-77. But Tang buried his second triple of the night and followed it up with another short jumper to ease the tension.

Castro, who finished with 19 points, highlighted his game-long brilliance with a completed steal off Cholo Villanueva to give Harbour a 95-86 lead with only 57 ticks left.

The win was the 10th straight and 12th overall for the Batang Pier since their title win in the Invitational tournament last December. Toyota slipped to 5-7.

So fluid was Harbour’s game the Batang Pier committed only six turnovers, tying the league best by Ateneo against Blu Detergents in 2001. The Sparks turned the ball 16 times which the Batang Pier transformed into 12 points.

"We’re just solid today," said Gallent, who drew 12 points from Tang.