MANILA – Basilan BRT Peace Riders squandered a double-digit edge before escaping with a 65-63 win over BYB Kapatagan Buffalos in the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao Challenge on Tuesday night at the Pagadian City Gymnasium.
Clinging to a 15-point edge early in the fourth quarter, the Buffalos went on an astounding 14-0 storm to slice the gap to just a point, 61-62 with 1:05 remaining in the game.
Jorem Morada ended the almost six minutes of basketball drought for the Peace Riders with his three-point play to make it a 65-61 score with 43.8 ticks left. Richard Kwong trimmed it to 63-65 for Kapatagan before Basilan wrapped up the win.
Homegrown player Jayvee Ansaldo led Basilan with 15 points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block. Darwin Lunor had his best game this conference with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Nikko Panganiban added 11 points.
“Very thankful ako kasi matagal na namin hinahangad ito,” said Peace Riders head coach Ron Jalmanzar. “Noong fourth quarter medyo kinabahan pero naka-survive naman.”
By snapping their six-game losing skid, the first conference champions Peace Riders improved to 4-6, still at sixth place while pulling the Buffalos to 6-4, tied with Zamboanga Sibugay at second.
Jonel Bonganciso had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Kapatagan, while Edrian Lao chipped in 12 points and 10 rebounds. Kwong chalked up 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Meanwhile, MFT Iligan Archangels bucked the absence of key players Jack Hoyohoy and Lester Tamayo to pull off an 80-77 stunner of Roxas Vanguards to end its three-game losing skid.
Trailing by four, Lugie Cuyos went on a personal 5-0 run to tow the Archangels to the lead, 73-72. Nick Abanto answered back for the Vanguards with a jumper but Junjun Cecilio regained the lead for Iligan with two stripe shots with 2:09 left, 75-74.
Cuyos, Algeroh Benitez, and playing assistant coach Rendell Dela Rea made five more freebies to seal the deal. The Archangels improved to 3-8, still at the bottom while Roxas fell to 5-5.
BOX SCORE:
BASILAN 65 – Ansaldo 15, Lunor 14, Panganiban 11, Morada 9, Daa 6, Salim 5, Julkipli 2, Luciano 2, Ferrer 1, Sallidin 0, Solis 0, Soliva 0, Bulac 0.
KAPATAGAN 63 – Bonganciso 13, Lao 12, Kwong 11, Rodriguez 7, Sollano 5, Manalo 5, Ariar 4, Puerto 2, Daanoy 2, Saga 2, Regero 0.
Quarterscores: 20-17, 42-25, 55-41, 65-63./PN
