CEBU, Philippines — Versatile playmaker Gabriel Cometa dropped 19 of his game-high 33 points in the first half as Team Mandaue waylaid the Consolacion Sarok Weavers, 83-68, in their sudden-death title match to rule the 6th District cluster of the 2019 Cebu Governor’s Cup Inter-Cities and Municipalities Under 21 Developmental Basketball Tournament last Monday night at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.
Meanwhile, the quarterfinal round of the three-month cage wars will commence today in separate venues.
In Bracket A action at the Dumanjug municipal gym, Dumanjug plays host to Balamban, Mandaue will go up the undefeated Danao City, while Medellin will take on Samboan. Games in Bracket B that will be played at the Tuburan municipal gym pit Tuburan vs Alegria, Tabuelan vs Minglanilla, and Consolacion vs Sogod.
Cometa, who plays for the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation. Inc. (CESAFI), unloaded 13 points in a blistering 27-12 assault in the second quarter that turned Mandaue’s slim 12-10 lead into a 17-point bubble at halftime, 39-22.
It was cruise control for the Mandauehanons from there onwards on the way to pocket P100,000. Consolacion got P50,000 for placing second.
Two other Mandaue cagers cashed in double figures in Archie Buscay and Art Marco with 12 and 11 markers, respectively, even as Paul Sungahid and Kenneth Brillo also made their presence felt with 17 combined points.
Keith Padayogdog was the lone bright spot for Consolacion with 26 points, including 16 in the final quarter that prevented the Sarok Weavers from a total annihilation at the hands of the resurgent Mandaue. EBV