Mortaseal’s Lemuel Aspacio goes for a tough shot during their CABC Mortabond Cup game. | CABC photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Mortaseal and Strakgrout clinched semifinals spots after crucial victories in last Sunday’s Cebu Architects Basketball Club (CABC) 1st Mortabond Cup 2024, held at the Benedicto College Gymnasium.
Mortaseal capped off an impressive elimination round with a perfect 5-0 record, securing a direct ticket to the semifinals. However, their flawless run didn’t come easy, as they had to fend off a determined EZ Bond team, narrowly winning 76-71 in their final elimination game.
Lemuel Aspacio and Chester Hinagdanan were the driving forces behind Mortaseal’s victory, with Aspacio posting 25 points, four rebounds, three steals, a block, and an assist. Hinagdanan added a double-double performance, contributing 22 points and 10 rebounds, along with four assists, three steals, and a block. Teammates Wilfredo Lastimosa and Richard Badayos also chipped in with 10 and 12 points, respectively.
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Despite the loss, EZ Bond’s Joseph Cabigas delivered an impressive double-double, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
In the other CABC semifinal-clinching game, Strakgrout’s Jay Devenadera led his team to a 63-55 victory over Mortaflow, securing their spot with a 4-1 record and second place in the standings.
Devenadera finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and a block, while Aaron Yang paced Mortaflow with 20 points in the losing effort.
Meanwhile, Brute overwhelmed Lite with a 61-49 victory, thanks to Miguel Cenabre’s 17-point performance.
The remaining semifinal berths will be decided in matchups scheduled this weekend, where EZ Bond (3-2) will face Lite Skimcoat (0-5) and Brute (2-3) will take on Mortaflow (1-4). Both EZ Bond and Brute hold twice-to-beat advantages heading into their respective games.