MANILA – Gryann Mendoza’s scoring blast on Wednesday powered KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue to oust ARQ Builders Lapu-Lapu City Heroes, 76-74, in the do-or-die semifinals of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Visayas leg at the Alcantara Civic Center in Cebu.
The victory allowed the no.2 seed Mandaue to set up a best-of-three championship showdown with undefeated MJAS Zenith-Talisay City Aquastars beginning at seven tonight.
Mendoza – a former player of Magnolia Hotshots in the PBA – drained five triples and finished with 25 points.
With his eight rebounds, an assist, a steal, and two blocks, Mendoza was a steady presence for Mandaue for his crucial plays that prevented the Heroes’ comeback attempt from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Mandaue was dominant in the early round and was up to 60-45 in the fourth part, but Lapu-Lapu City mounted a huge run behind Jercules Tangkay to trim the deficit to 62-64.
Mendoza halted Lapu-Lapu City’s uprising by connecting a pull-up jumper before feeding an assists to Michole Sorela to stretch the lead to 68-62 with over a minute left.
Following misses on the side of Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue sealed the victory on a conversion by Al Francis Tamsi from a drop pass by Chris Exciminiano.
Aside from Mendoza, nobody else scored in double-figures for Mandaue with Tamsi being the next high scorer with seven points to go along with three rebounds, three assists, three steals, and two blocks.
Reed Juntilla – who averaged 22.6 points in the last three games – struggled in this do-or-die game for Lapu-Lapu City as he was limited to just 13 points on 6-of-17 from the field.
Tangkay, on the other hand, made 12 markers while Dawn Ochea had 11 points and five rebounds.
BOX SCORE:
MANDAUE 74 – Mendoza 25, Tamsi 7, Sorela 6, Imperial 6, Octobre 5, Exciminiano 5, Soliva 5, Nalos 4, Bregondo 4, Roncal 3, Bonganciso 2, Cachuela 2, Delator 0, Mercader 0.
LAPU-LAPU 64 – Juntilla 13, Tangkay 12, Ochea 11, Lusdoc 6, Canada 6, Minguito 4, Mondragon 3, Galvez 2, M. Arong 1, Senining 0, F. Arong 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
28-15, 46-32, 57-45, 74-64./PN
