Talisay sweeps SanFran, wins Governor’s Cup Governor cage title

CEBU, Philippines —  The Talisay City AquaStars punctuated their amazing run with a two-game sweep of San Francisco in their best-of-three finals anchored on a nerve-wracking 66-64 victory in Game 2 to clinch the championship of the 2018 Cebu Governor’s Cup Inter-Cities and Municipalities Under-21 Developmental Basketball Tournament last Wednesday evening at the jampacked Big Apple Sports Center in San Francisco, Camotes Island.

Fighting behind enemy lines, the AquaStars showed a lot of heart and flashed a near flawless game to wrap up their stellar year with a perfect 14-0 record.

Talisay’s win further galvanized the dominance of South Division teams in the two-year-old league that provides hope to young and aspiring cagers to get noticed by scouts and eventually earn athletic scholarship from schools. It also kept the overall title in the first district of Cebu following the ground-breaking triumph of the Minglanilla Archangels last year.

“The Governor’s Cup puts tremendous impact to the youth in the towns. The hopes of earning scholarships. The hopes of playing through college. The hopes of a better life ahead. That is what this league is all about. That is what we at the organizing committee side is hoping for,” said Cebu Provincial Sports Commission Executive Director Atty. Ramil P. Abing.

“Congratulations to Talisay City for a job well done and to San Francisco for proving that talents do not lie on the mainland alone. They showcase heart of Camotes Island. I am looking forward to a bigger Governor’s Cup next year,” Abing added.

San Francisco actually had a good start, scoring the first seven points of the match before the AquaStars nailed its first basket on a split charities by Jay Deiparine.

San Francisco held on to its slim lead but Elmer Echavez, backed up by coach Rey Gurrea’s surprise package in Ronan Briones and Rodel Beduya, helped the AquaStars outfox the home team in the second quarter to wrest the driver’s seat at halftime, 31-29.

San Francisco regained its poise behind the efforts of Kenny Rogers Rocacurva and Winston Pleños Jr. but the visitors kept on firing back to forge a 45-all deadlock at the end of the third period.

Rocacurva tried to bring life to the islanders but the AquaStars couldn’t be denied, with Echavez dealing them heavy damage on the offensive end and Kendrick Abarquez holding his ground as chief patrolman at Talisay’s frontcourt against the high leaping slashers of San Francisco.

SanFran came threateningly close for the last time at 64-66 on a 3-pointer by Jake Lawrence Gonzales with only four seconds left to play.

In the game’s final sequence, San Francisco’s inbounds trap failed as Abarquez managed to find Keaton Clyde Taburnal, who  dribbled the ball away as the game clock expired.

Echavez dropped 11 of his 21 points in a decisive endgame rally, Beduya scored 10, while Taburnal and Raffy Bacasmas connived for 18 points for Talisay, which pocketed P500,000 for its feat. SanFran took home P300,000.

Rocacurva paced San Francisco with 18 markers, while Pleños and Gonzales banged in 15 points each in a losing effort.