Twin towers lift Mandaue in Guv Cup

Aljie Mendoza and Raul Jancork Cabahug matched Tuburan’s firepower to help Mandaue City survive with a 117-110 overtime win in the North Division the North Division Quarterfinal round of the 2017 Cebu Governor’s Cup 21-Under Inter-Cities/Municipalities Basketball Tournament at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex Monday night.

Mendez scored 15 and Cabahug fired 14 in the second half, to help Mandaue regroup after trailing by 15 points at the half.

Tonight the action shifts to Dalaguete Municipal gym for the South Division quarterfinal round with the Talisay City Aqua Starts, which will try to regain composure as they play Samboan at 5 p.m. Toledo City and Minglanilla will fight for the early leadership at 6:30 p.m. and Dalaguete will play Barili in the 8 p.m. match.

Mandaue found itself in an unfamiliar situation when Tuburan outscored the tournament heavyweight, 23-16, in the opening quarter and 31-23 in the second period to build a 54-39 lead at the half.

But with the resilience of the home squad and unexpected contributions of Troy Joshua Cabahug and Christopher Isabelo, the game was sent into overtime with Mandaue asserting its dominance behind the offensive exploits of Mendez, John Benedick Damolo, Jancork Cabahug.

Who scored?

Mendez scored 36 points, Jancork Cabahug contributed 26 points, Damolo added 19 and Ken Gato finished with 17 points for Manduae City. Miguelito Jusay scattered 36 points, Mike Parilla added 20, Joycelee Oropino finished with 19 markers, and Romyr Kirt Gonzaga and Alson Sevilla had 11 points each for Tuburan.

In the other game, Romeo Sumbi Jr. and Joshua Renz Ortiz scored 12 points each in the playoff period to lead Bantayan to an overwhelming 92-81 win over Balamban in the opening game.

Sumbi scored 15 as Bantayan took a 19-17 lead in the first quarter, but Balamban came surging back behind the 11 points of Jacob Fernandez to lead 44-40 at the halftime break.

Both teams engaged in a heavy exchange of baskets with Fernandez scoring eight while Sumbi scattered nine to help Bantayan inch closer at 64-66 at the end of the third period.

But while Sumbi continued to wax hot with the help of Ortiz, Fernandez shied away instead as Balamban relied alone on John Albert Sacayan for the needed points.

Sumbi scored the game high 39 points, Ortiz finished with 20 and Joepel Ducay added 11 for Bantayan, while Sacayan lead Balamban scorers with 24 points, and Fernandez made 23 points,

Consolacion, on the other hand, defeated Bogo City, 78-70.

Consolacion used a 28-12 blast in the opening quarter and a 65-46 rally at the end of the third period as buffer, and stayed safe even after Bogo City attempted a comeback in the fourth. /