Gabby Espinas of JPS Zamboanga City argues with a referee during their game versus Clarin Sto. Niño in the VisMin Super Cup semifinals. | VisMin Cup photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The fifth-seeded JPS Zamboanga City took down the second-seed Clarin Sto. Niño, 70-68, in Game 1 of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao leg semifinals on Sunday evening, August 1, 2021, at the Pagadian City gymnasium in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
Mac Cardona played his best game in a Zamboanga uniform as he finished with 17 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals, as his team went on to take a 1-0 lead in this short best-of-three series.
Gabby Espinas also put up a good game for the inning team, logging his fourth double-double of the tournament with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks.
Tied at 66 in the fourth quarter, Jerome Ferrer was a steady man in the paint for Zamboanga as he was the recipient of extra passes from Cardona and Fran Yu in consecutive possessions. He drained two crucial layups to put JPS on top, 70-66, with 1:17 left.
In the ensuing play, Clarin’s Joseph Eriobu was fouled and calmly sank both his freethrows for a 70-68 score.
Zamboanga committed a costly error in the ensuing play as it was called for a 24-second shot clock violation. This gave Sto. Niño one final chance to tie or win the game with a three-pointer with 19.2 ticks to go.
However, JPS managed to hold on by clamping up Clarin’s shooter Carlo Lastimosa, who missed his three point attempt. John Wilson managed to grab the offensive rebound, but was not able to make a shot attempt after the buzzer sounded.
Lastimosa paced the Sto. Niño with 12 points. Pamboy Raymundo scattered 10 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists but committed four turnovers.
Wilson finished with just eight points to go with seven rebounds and three turnovers.
The Scores:
Zamboanga City 70 – Cardona 17, Espinas 15, Neypes 9, Ferrer 8, Lingganay 6, Belencion 5, Gaco 5, Jeruta 3, Yu 2, Matias 0, Waminal 0.
Clarin 68 – Lastimosa 12, Raymundo 10, Wilson 8, Mangahas 8, Eriobu 7, Marcelino 6, Baetiong 6, Hayes 5, Pancho 4, De Mesa 2, Lucernas 0.
Quarterscores: 18-18, 34-40, 55-51, 70-68.
/bmjo