PAGADIAN, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR –BYB Kapatagan created a three-way logjam for the top seed after outlasting Globalport-MisOr, 63-62, in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao Challenge, Wednesday at the Pagadian City Gymnasium here.
The Buffalos, Valientes, and Zamboanga Sibugay are now all tied behind identical win-loss records at 7-4.
MisOr used a 7-2 rally to turn a 51-57 affair to just a one-point deficit, 58-59, off a Jason Ballesteros layup with 3:13 to go.
Then the defense of Kapatagan went to work as it held the Valientes field goal-less until the very last second via a Joseph Nalos buzzer-beating trey but still not enough to force overtime.
On the other end, a putback by Richard Kwong off a Jun Daanoy airball, and freebies by Edrian Lao were the insurance points needed by the Buffalos.
“Sobrang sayang ‘yung talo namin kagabi eh kaya sabi ko sa kanila kailangang kailangan namin itong panalo na ito para may chance pa tayo sa number one,” said Kapatagan head coach Jaime Rivera.
Jonel Bonganciso played lockdown defense on Mac Baracael and Reil Cervantes to go with 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Buffalos.
Lao chimed in 11 points and seven rebounds, while homegrown Joel Sollano added 11 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Baracael finished with 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting with six rebounds and three assists for MisOr.
Cervantes had 12 points but went a woeful 3-of-13 from the field, while Joel Lee Yu was hampered with foul trouble throughout the match, getting just two points.
Kapatagan faces Pagadian tomorrow at 6:30 pm, while MisOr closes its eliminations against Roxas on Friday.
The Scores:
Kapatagan 63 – Bonganciso 11, Lao 11, Sollano 11, Rodriguez 9, Kwong 6, Puerto 4, Daanoy 4, Ariar 3, Manatad 2, Delfinado 2, Manalo 0.
MisOr 62 – Baracael 15, Cervantes 12, Nalos 9, Estrella 8, Ballesteros 6, Salcedo 4, Ubalde 2, Meca 2, Lee Yu 2, Caranguian 2.
Quarterscores: 16-18, 40-31, 52-49, 63-62.
