Cebu Classic overcomes internal turmoil by routing Mindoro

Limuel Tampus | MPBL photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Against the odds and under a cloud of controversy, the Cebu Classic showed resilience and resolve by defeating the streaking Mindoro Tamaraws, 85-73, in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) on Friday night, May 16, at the Marikina Sports Center.

The Classic have recently been mired in controversy following reports of unpaid players—issues that cast doubt on their future in the league. The situation was brought to light by veteran sports journalist Snow Badua, who shared information he gathered over the past few days.

Despite the off-court distractions and rumors of a short-handed lineup, Cebu stepped up and delivered a statement win over the favored Tamaraws.

Limuel Tampus led the charge with a double-double performance, helping Cebu notch their fourth win in 11 outings, good for 18th place in the standings.

Mindoro, which came in riding a two-game win streak, slipped to 5-7 and dropped to 13th place.

GO-TO SCORER

Tampus was once again Cebu Classic’s go-to scorer, finishing with 19 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting. He also grabbed 12 rebounds, dished out three assists, and had one block.

Local standouts John Jabonete and Mark Meneses added 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jabonete also posted a double-double with 14 rebounds and four assists, while Meneses had 16 boards, three assists, two blocks, and a steal in a strong two-way effort.

Darell Manliguez and Gryann Mendoza chipped in nine points apiece, while Jeco Bancale added eight in a balanced scoring night for Cebu.

Mindoro’s Wendelino Comboy III had a game-high 23 points, along with three rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block—but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide. Joseph Sedurifa and Brandrey Bienes backed him up with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Cebu Classic took control early, leading 44-27 at halftime. They extended that advantage to 57-33 in the third quarter, with Ken Holmqvist burying a triple to cap the run.

The Classic entered the final period with a 65-50 lead. Mindoro tried to rally, cutting the deficit to 71-63, but Cebu responded with timely buckets to regain a double-digit cushion and sealed the win.