MINGLANILLA KEEPS TITLE DEFENSE ALIVE

Defending champion Minglanilla Archangels survive City of Naga’s late charge to win re-play and book Governor’ Cup quarterfinal seat

Defending champions Minglanilla Archangels booked the last quarterfinals seat in the 2018 Governor’s Cup Basketball Tournament after booting out City of Naga Electrifiers, 76-72, in a highly-intense game that saw multiple players suffering from leg cramps at the Cebu Coliseum last Thursday night.

The replay settled the dispute between Minglanilla and City of Naga on their clash last April 23 that had a bizarre end, when the latter had six players in the final play. The City of Naga initially won that game, 93-91, but Minglanilla put the game under protest leading to the replay.

Nearly two months after the controversial game, rivals City of Naga and Minglanilla met again and gave a pulsating end to the highly-anticipated rematch that granted the winner the last quarterfinals seat for Cluster C.

Minglanilla’s star point guard Steve Nash Enriquez returned to the game after a leg cramps late in the third quarter to lead the Archangels in the final quarter.

With Minglanilla leading 7572, the National University (NU) Bullpup Enriquez stole the ball with eight seconds left to deny the City of Naga the chance to attempt for a tie. Enriquez was fouled and split his charities to ice the game at 76-72.

The 15-year-old Enriquez, who was named after two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, also had a timely putback off a teammate miss with a second left on their shot clock to give Archangels a breathing room, 72-68, with 1:58 left.

The Electrifiers answered with a 4-0 blast as Marl Vhic Delantes converted two free throws followed by John Marcell Besin’s drive that put the game at 72. Lyle Eredera split his free throws to give the lead back to Minglanilla, 73-72.

Naga had the chance to attempt for a lead but Delantes turned the ball over with 46.4 left. The Electrifiers blew another chance with another turnover, this time on a fastbreak play with 23.5 left. Enriquez converted one free throw on the other end to give Archangels a two-point lead, 74-72. Naga missed a three and a split free throw from Cristian Castro made it 75-72 with 10.5 seconds left.

Enriquez finished with 22 points, Eredera added 13, while Tristan Dominic Cabrera, Mark Justine Nebril and Ryzel Guillan Gilbuena had eight points apiece.

Delantes led City of Naga with 14 points, Kevin Kendrick Guibao handed 12 and Keith Rainer Visayas contributed 11.

“I told the boys to keep the pressure on defense like we did in the first half. They responded with a solid defense towards the end of the game,” said coach Edito Salacut of Minglanilla, which joins Talisay, Argao and Sibonga in the Cluster C quarterfinals.