CEBU CITY SINULOG CUP 2018 CHAMPIONSHIP/JAN.13,2018:Cebu Councilor Gerry Guardo (yellow shirt) award the troophy to Marinero Pilipino who win the championship game against USC Landmasters of Cebu City Sinulog Cup 2018 at Cebu Coliseum.(CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
SKIPPERS REIGN
Athletic guard Mike Ayonayon scored 12 straight points in overtime to carry the Marinerong Pilipino Skippers to a thrilling, 89-80 win over the Cebu Landmasters-Bogo City Saturday night to capture the championship in the Cebu City Sinulog Cup Basketball Invitational at the Cebu Coliseum.
Ayonayon saved his best for last as he piled up a whopping 32 points on 14-of-24 shooting. He also added eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block to run away with the Most Valuable Player title of the pocket tournament.
Comebacking University of Santo Tomas guard Renzo Subido added 15 points, including a fadeaway jumper at the start of overtime that sparked the game-deciding 15-2 run for the Skippers.
Ayonayon was the man for the PBA D-League squad during that stretch as scored back-to-back triples that put the Skippers back in the driver’s seat, 82-79.
After Prince Orizu pulled the Landmasters to a point by splitting his free-throws, Ayonayon sank a pull-up jumper and got loose for consecutive transition layups to put the game out of reach, 88-80, with only 37.6 seconds left in the game.
Also scoring in double figures for Marinerong Pilipino were Billy Robles and Philip Paredes with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Ayonayon was also named to the Mythical Five along with the University of Cebu’s Justine Dacalos and Frederick Elombe, the Skippers’ Billy Robles and the Landmasters’ Ferdinand Lusdoc.
Elombe was named the tournament’s Best Import.
The Landmasters were poised to claim the title as they uncorked 11 straight points at the start of the fourth to lead by six, 62-56. But the Skippers kept their composure and reclaimed the lead, 71-69, off a deuce by Paredes down the middle of the lane.
The Landmasters answered right back with a three-pointer from Jojo Tangkay but Banal knotted the count at 72-all with a free-throw, 1:15 to go. Subido pushed the Skippers in front with two from the charity stripe but Lusdoc tied it all up, also with two from the line with just 8.7 ticks left.
The Skippers had a clear shot at winning the game in regulation but Banal missed a wide-open triple as time expired.
The Landmasters even took a four-point lead early in the extra session with makes from Orizu and Lusdoc before Ayonayon’s explosive finish.
In the battle for third place, the University of Cebu-M. Lhuillier walloped the University of San Jose-Recoletos-May Abohan, 84-72.
Elombe, was his usual dominant self as he piled up 29 points and 16 rebounds along with three steals. Dacalos helped him out with 17 markers, eight boards and four assists.
The win netted UC a windfall of P30,000 while USJ-R went home with P10,000.
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