ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City kept its season alive with a stunning 67-52 win over KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City in the semifinals of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Tuesday night at the Alcantara Civic Center in Cebu.
Lapu-Lapu City toppled Mandaue City’s twice-to-beat advantage in the step-ladder semifinals and forced a knockout game on Wednesday night. The winner will face unbeaten MJAS Zenith Talisay City in the best-of-three leg finals starting on Friday.
Reed Juntilla continued on his torrid scoring spree as he tallied 19 points, including a booming four-point play that kept Mandaue City at bay. He added six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block.
While Juntilla took care of the perimeter scoring, Dawn Ochea held fort inside and scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.
With Juntilla and Ochea firing on all cylinders in the first half, Lapu-Lapu City raced off to a 39-29 halftime lead. They maintained their inspired play in the third quarter for a 51-40 advantage they brought to the final period.
Juntilla sparked Lapu-Lapu City’s final breakaway with a huge four-point play that was soon followed by a short jumper by Fletcher Galvez, a hook shot by Ochea and a shot clock-beating triple by Rendell Senining that gave them a 67-49 lead with close to three minutes remaining in the game.
Lapu-Lapu City dominated the rebounding battle, 67-51. Hafer Mondragon pulled down 14 rebounds while Jojo Tangkay hauled eight to go along five steals.
Lapu-Lapu City assistant coach Jerry Abuyabor said that every member of the team was locked in on the victory from the get-go.
“The big difference was everyone responded well. Everybody chipped in in his own little way,” Abuyabor said. “Even the bench was so positive, talking and encouraging each another. We played as a team.”
Mandaue City was a mess all game long as they made only 16 of their 71 attempts from the floor for a paltry 22-percent clip.
Nobody scored in double-figures for Mandaue City with Al Francis Tamsi leading with nine points and Shaquille Imperial adding eight. Gryann Mendoza, was held down to just five points after averaging 11.6 points in the regular season.