By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
After weeks of highly-competitive basketball in Roxas City, the ODM pre-Sinadya Basketball Cup is down to its four participating heavyweights.
During the quarterfinals match, the CPU Golden Lions overcame a resilient Balasan squad after nipping them, 102-98.
Balasan jumped on CPU to grab the lead after the latter subbed in their second unit in the opening frame, courtesy of a hot Inno Miclat.
It was a slugfest the whole game as Balasan was able to match CPU’s firepower and even led by 12 points with under four minutes left in the final frame but a well-organized CPU team sensed urgency and began to rally.
It all started when CPU employed their signature full-court pressure defense. Forcing turnovers for easy scores, CPU completed their comeback and sealed the game.
Wilmer Dalumpines won best player of the game honors, chalking up a double-double with 31 points and 11 boards.
In the second game, the Hercor Jaguars obliterated the Basketball Maniacs, 109-45.
Hercor’s full court trap was efficient all throughout the game, limiting the Maniacs’ opportunities for easy scores, resulting to a low scoring production for them.
The Maniacs’ turnovers were the ones that killed them, allowing Hercor far too many easy deuces that ballooned their lead to more than 30.
Jiego Montillano won best player of the game with his 13 points, 7 rebounds, 6 dimes, and 4 steals.
The last game featured a showdown between Martkina Panay and Rovil Autohub where the latter prevailed, 92-83.
Martkina’s early pace allowed them to control the game’s tempo, getting all the loose balls and outrebounding Rovil for the most part.
Martkina’s control of the boards enabled them to convert easy putbacks underneath and assert their strength down-low.
Rovil put themselves within striking distance after sinking timely baskets in the clutch moments of the game and eventually took the lead in the last three minutes of the 4th quarter.
Outrunning, outhustling, and out-shooting Martkina, Rovil took control over the game and grabbed the win to advance to the semifinals.
Semifinals is scheduled on November 16, 2019 and November 17, 2019 at the Roxas Civic Center.
