THE two-time defending champions Guards and the Recoletos Pilipinas (RP) will contend for the championship crown in the Recoletos de Cebu Basketball League (RCBL) after they defeated separate opponents yesterday afternoon at the University of San Jose – Recoletos (USJ-R) Basak open gym yesterday afternoon.
The top-seeded Guards rolled past Our Lady of Consolation Parish-Recoletos (OLCP-R) De Laray, 78-71, while RP nipped the undermanned Campus Planners, 111-90.
Julian Godinez led the Guards with 28 points. OLCPR’s Brando Lustre and Kinchi Abrio scored 19 markers each.
Ranel Embalzado, on the other hand, fired 22 points for RP, while Jason Mendez and Roland Aredidon tallied 28 and 27 markers, respectively, for the Planners, who showed up with only seven players.
The championship match will be on Saturday next week. It will be a grudge rematch for the finalists as the Guards drubbed RP, 97-80, in their title duel last year to seal their second straight crown.
The Planners and OLCPR will play for third place.