LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – It’s game on this Monday, November 13, with the semifinal knock out matches for the four surviving teams whose winners advance to the finals of the inaugural Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup.
Second seed La Trinidad 1 will face third seed Itogon in the 6PM opener at the Benguet Sports Complex in barangay Wangal here while top seed Bokod and fourth seed Tuba are expected to go the whole nine yards in the 730PM schedule.
The lower seeds have axes to grind against the higher seeds which they fell to in the elimination round. Both lower seeded teams really want to avenge their earlier losses and spoil a Bokod – Trinidad 1 finale.
Itogon was a 99-107 victim of Trinidad 1 last September 28, while Tuba was nipped by Bokod, 87-89, last September 21 in what could have been a won game, said coach Jun Rimando of Tuba.
Rimando bewailed the backing violation called against his team with less than 10 seconds remaining in the game with the score tied at 87-all. Denied, Tuba immediately fouled John Ric Buenaventura that saw the shifty Bokod point guard marching to the free throw area, since Tuba was already under penalty.
Buenaventura sank both freebie then denied Tuba to set up for a last basket with just over six seconds to go. Bokod quickly fouled in the ensuing play, its last to give, then forced Tuba to make a quick basket, one from beyond the rainbow arc which bounced off the ring.
While Bokod, Trinidad 1 and Itogon easily won their quarterfinal matches, it was a different story for Tuba as it needed two full games to send La Trinidad 2 packing home.
It was a sweet come from behind victory for the Tuba boys, 96-94, all before their adoring fans led by mayor Clarita Sal-ongan.
Down six, 84-90, with 2:39 remaining, Cyril de Vera drained a trey and got two bonuses – a freebie and sent Trinidad 2 big man Bryan Estepa to the shower. The league’s scoring king drained his extra shot for a two-point Valley 2 lead, which was tied by Benedick Antonio 38 seconds later.
Tuba then mounted a 6-1 run in the next 109 seconds for a 96-91 lead, but Lloyd Calma sank one from deep, and the lead down to two, 96-94 in favor of the former.
Tuba lost possession in the next play, but while Trinidad 2 was running down for a fast break in the ensuing play, Fruto Luzadas III stole the ball as the host consumed the time for the win.
Bokod, meanwhile, got a scare after Mankayan protested their quarterfinal match contesting the presence of a player who missed the first 10 games of the top seed.
The letter was filed within the 24-hour deadline but was unsigned and so the protest was denied.
But the player under protest, Roy Pulac, Jr. will be suspended for one game which will be implemented during the winner take all semifinals on Monday.
League commissioner Roderick Osis, meanwhile, announced that the finals will start on November 20 also at the Benguet Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, November 9, league officials met with the 14 player-members of the Benguet All Star Selection which will play against a selection from the pro leagues on November 30. By MSD
