KCS-Mandaue survives Dumaguete

CEBU, Philippines —  Veteran guard Gryann Mendoza and young forward Dyll Roncal were the saving grace as the KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City escaped with a 79-73 victory over the Dumaguete Warriors to end their first round campaign on a bright note in the Visayas leg of the inaugural Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Vismin Super Cup season yesterday at the Alcantara Civic Center in Alcantara town southwest of Cebu.

Mendoza dished out a solid double-double show of 20 points and 10 rebounds while Roncal finished with 11 markers in another superb performance. Rhaffy Octobre stole part of the spotlight  with 13 points, nine boards, and three assists as KCS-Mandaue tightened its hold of the solo second spot with a 4-1 win-loss mark.

The Warriors bravely rallied from 13 points down and even snatched the driver’s seat, 68-67, on a16-2 run sparked by explosive Cebuano playmaker Jaybie Mantilla but Mendoza and Roncal took matters in their own hands to put KCS-Mandaue back on top, 74-71, with less than a minute left to play.

After Mantilla misfied a potential game-tying triple, Mendoza knocked in a booming 3-pointer to seal the deal for KCS-Mandaue, 77-71, with only 28 ticks to go.

Mantilla, the 2018 CESAFI MVP, charted 21 points, five boards, four assists, and four steals but his efforts went for naught as Dumaguete suffered its fourth setback against only one win. — EBV