Pulpogan, Cansaga advance in Consolacion fiesta caging

CEBU, Philippines - Barangays Pulpogan and Cansaga booked semifinal tickets in the Inter-Barangay division of the 3rd Mayor Teresa "Nene" P. Alegado Fiesta Cup basketball tournament at the Consolacion Sports Complex.

The Moneva twins combined for 60 points as Pulpogan bested Cabahangan in overtime, 80-70, to barge into semis under Category A-Bracket B, while Randy Colonia subdued Lamac, 57-52, to gain top seeding in Category A-Bracket A.

The red-hot Moneva sparkled with 42 points including a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot that forced the game into overtime after a 65-all deadlock in the regulation period.

Cansaga, on the other hand, never looked back after taking an early 16-11 lead.

In the SK division, Tilhaong eked out a 68-65 win over Cabahangan to keep its title campaign in motion.

A total of  21 barangays are taking part in the month-long tilt, which is among the highlights of Consolacion's annual fiesta celebration in honor of its beloved patron San Narciso on October 29.

Seeing action under Category A are barangays Polog, Panas, Panoypoy, Lanipga, Garing, Sacsac, Tilhaong, and Tolotolo. Comprising Category B are barangays Poblacion Oriental, Poblacion Occidental, Cansaga, Pulpugan, Danlag, Casili, Tugbungan, Nangka, Pitogo, Lamac, Tayud, and Jugan.

The competition follows a double elimination for Category A, while entries in Category B will be pooled into two brackets. They will also play a double elimination with the top two teams advancing into the crossover semifinals. The top seeds will enjoy twice-to-beat incentives over the No.2 qualifiers in each bracket. The winners will then clash for the championship in a best-of-three series.

For the SK level, the participants will be bracketed into four. They will figure in a double elimination wherein the top two in each bracket will proceed into the quarterfinal round. The top qualifier will gain twice-to-beat edge. The winners will then barge into the knockout semis wherein the survivors will slug it out for the coveted title also in a race-to-2 affair.

The annual hardcourt joust is fully supported by Consolacion Mayor Teresa P. Alegado, Vice Mayor Rey Damole, and all members of the Sangguniang Bayan.

The working committee is composed of sports chairman Boy Tibon assisted by Ben Ermac, ABC President Marilou P. Casul and SK Federation President Vito Rolito Villo as co-chairpersons. The games will be supervised by league commissioner Paul Alelu Q. Flores, a former star player of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws during his UAAP days. (FREEMAN)