Mandaue stays unbeaten; Talisay, Tuburan surge to 2-0 in quarters

Governor’s Cup Basketball

CEBU, Philippines — Rising hardcourt stars Gabriel Cometa and Kenneth Brillo once again transformed themselves into a deadly one-two punching machine as the Mandaue City Ballers outclassed the Medellin Sweeteners, 83-76, in a battle of unbeaten teams in the 2019 Cebu Governor’s Cup Inter-Cities and Municipalities Under 21 Developmental Basketball Tournament last Sunday night at the Medellin Sports Complex.

Cometa sparkled with 27 points and Brillo cashed in 21 markers for Mandaue, which now enjoys the solo lead in Bracket A with an immaculate 3-0 slate.

After a slim 20-18 edge, Mandaue stepped up its game in the second quarter to pad its lead to 13 points at halftime, 43-30.

The wards of coach Gary Cortes then held off a spirited endgame resistance by Medellin to walk away with a seven-point victory before a huge partisan crowd.

Gelmart Umpad scattered 21 points and Fritz Saladaga tallied 14 points but to no avail as Medellin fell to 2-1 in a tie with Balamban, which notched its second win at the expense of Argao, 96-91.

Joshua Gellacone and Jacob Fernandez showed the way for Balamban with 42 combined points.

In the other Bracket A match, Samboan downed Dumanjug, 88-82, to barge into the win column.

Over at the Tabuelan Sports Complex, the defending champions Talisay City Aquastars and Tuburan coasted to 2-0 starts to temporarily share the lead in Bracket B.

Talisay pounded the Consolacion Sarok Weavers, 72-55, while Tuburan whipped the Minglanilla Archangels, 88-73.

Kendrick Abarquez, Keaton Clyde Taburnal and Clark Louis Ruedas powered Talisay with a combined total of 51 points, while Tuburan triumphed behind the 33-point explosion of Joyce Lee Oropiana backed up by the 26 points of Miguelito Jusay.

Host Tabuelan, on the other hand, crushed Sogod, 97-79, to snap out of its two-game skid. Jansher Salubre erupted for 34 points for Tabuelan while John Dave Arnado and Biencenido Espanol chipped in 21 and 17 markers, respectively. (FREEMAN)