2^nd GOVERNOR’S CUP INTER-TOWN/CITY SEMIFINALS

LINGAYEN –Lingayen and Urdaneta City repulsed their respective nemesis Binmaley and Manaoag in game two of the best-of-three semifinal series in the 2^nd Governor’s Cup Inter-Town/City Basketball Tournament on March 17 to force a knockout game on March 25.

After Lingayen lost its first match by four marks, 79-75, it survived a precarious three-point lead, 93-90, 11.11 seconds left in the game when its guard Michael John Castro stole the ball from Binmaley’s three-point specialist Roxar Mendoza in the last four ticks, and forward Ramil Mendoza successfully converted the two free throws after a foul and sealed the match at 95-90.

During the match-up, crucial shots were made by Lingayen team captain Marven Jophet Mamaril who was given a monicker by netizens as “El Granada” after unleashing barrage of three-pointers during the game.

While Binmaley’s Roxar Melendez rifled a game high 30 points and his brother contributing 20, Lingayen had six players that scored in double digits: Marvin Mamaril with a team high 20 points, Kenneth Castillo with 18, Ramil Mendoza with 15, Jesse Mark Artates and Kiko Arias with 12 each and Casaclang with 10.

Mamaril was supported by promising cagers Mark Kenneth Castillo, Manuelito Arias and Ramil Mendoza who contributed a lot in the scoreboard with their timely shots and layups boosted by the hustle of Jessie Artates and Brian Romero in securing the ball. With feverish intensity of a close game, both Artates and Romero fouled out in the final quarter.

In the second game, Urdaneta avenged its loss to Manaoag in the first game to stay alive by subduing the latter 98-93, also forcing a third and final match in the semis.

Unlike their first game loss by 19 marks, 90-71, the eastern squad champion Urdaneta was gung-ho in the second encounter and never gave up the front from the first period, 32-19, up to the last three quarters, 52-49, 76-63, and finally by five marks, 98-93, with Chuck Barcelona with 25 points, Renz Abando with 19, Jay Corpuz with 18 and Ismael Sarmiento with 11 doing the most damage.
With each team flashing a 1 win, 1 loss record, the rival teams will undergo do-or-die matches on March 25 starting at 1:30 p.m. The two winning teams will go straight to the finals this April.

In addition to the match-ups, the first batch of the 3-point shootout was held after the first game.

The top four three-pointers are: Lemert Penuliar (Sta. Barbara) with 8 points, Roxar Melendez (Binmaley) with six, Chuck Barcelona (Urdaneta City) with four and Kevin Samson (Manaoag) with three and qualified for the final round slated on April 14. Slam dunk contest was won by Urdaneta City’s versatile player Renz Joseph Abando.

Meanwhile, Governor Amado I. Espino III who watched the games vowed to continuously support the sports activities and said a bigger sports venue will be established to accommodate more spectators in two to three years.

The semis third and last hostilities are scheduled on March 25 in the same venue. First game features Urdaneta City vs Manaoag (1:30 p.m.) and Binmaley against Lingayen (3 p.m.). (Jesus Garcia Jr. with report from PIO/RRB)

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