MEDELLIN needed five more minutes before overthrowing the host team Bogo City, 80-77, to top the 4th District competition of the Cebu Governor’s Cup 2019 Inter-Cities/Municipalities Basketball Tournament at the Don Celestino Martinez Coliseum in Bogo City, Sunday evening.
The win boosted Medellin to the top of the team standings to become the first qualifier for the District with 5-1 win-loss record while the loss pushed back Bogo City to 4-2 along with Tabuelan and Madridejos at the second place.
However, Tabuelan carted away the second slot after topping the FIBA Olympic Quotient tie breaker computation with 1.05, which was bolstered by its 99-81 victory over Madridejos last Friday. Bogo City, which defeated Tabuelan 78-68 last March 23, had 1.04 and Madridejos which dealt Bogo City with a 100-97 loss last March 17, wound up with the lowest quotient at 0.92.
With its mindset focused on advancing to the next round, Medellin jump-started the game on a 17-9 margin at the end of the opening quarter. Diminutive guard Gelmart Umpad scoring eight for the visiting team’s total in the first.
Bogo City slowly crept back into action as Nico Lequin converted two triples to move the host squad within 23-29 at the halftime break. Marlone Batac, Joseph Tepait, and Lequin then combined for 15 points to clip the lead of the visiting squad down to a solitary point, 44-45 entering the final frame.
With Agustin Salundaguit hitting his marks and Batac continued to contribute huge baskets, Bogo City was marching towards victory in regulation period. However, Medellin refused to back-down as they went to Fritz Saladaga for the needed answers. And he did not frustrate them as he delivered 14 huge points that includes four morale-boosting triples as the visiting team managed to send the game to overtime.
Medellin went to finish the job with a 10-7 binge when Batac and Tepait were the only Bogo City players to score in the extra period.
Saladaga, who only had six points in the first half, finished with the game high 33 points and Luther Leonard added 17 markers for Medellin while Batac topscored Bogo City with 23 points, Tepait made 15 points, Lequin finished with 12 and Elian Antigua contributed 11 markers.
With the 4th District already had its qualifiers, what is left to resolve is the 5th District competition. The organizers have scheduled the knockout crossover playoffs on Wednesday, April 3 at the Sogod Municipal Gym with Danao City putting its unbeaten record at stake against Carmen at 6PM while Sogod is also hoping to stay clean when they clash with last year’s Finalists San Francisco at 7:30PM.
Box scores:
Medellin (80) – Saladaga 33, Leonard 17, Umpad 9, Booc 7, Banigon 7, Raman 3, Remulta 2, Canales 2, Ompoc 1.
Bogo City (77) – Batac 23, Tepait 15, Lequin 12, Antigua 11, Salundaguit 8, Pocong 2, Valenzuela 2.
Quarter scores: 17-9; 29-23; 45-44; 70-70; 80-77.
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