CEBU - The Greg Slaughter-led Pulpogan scored six straight points with less than a minute left to play to pull off a great 78-75 escape over Lamac and bolster its title hunt in the 2008 Consolacion Fiesta Cup Inter-Barangay Open Basketball Tournament at the Consolacion Sports Complex.
Slaugher, a 6-foot-11 center of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers who etched his name in stone for sweeping all three MVP awards in the 2008 CESAFI season, punched in 18 points capped by the game-clincher.
Slaughter was heavily backed up by former pro Stephen Padilla with 17 points followed by Jayford Rodriguez with 10 markers. Padilla and Rodriguez are products of the UV Lancers and are currently with the multi-titled M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala in the commercial circuit.
Lamac, with former collegiate and pro star Gilbert Demape in tow, was headed to victory with a 75-72 lead with 1:08 remaining in the game.
But in just a wink of an eye, Pulpogan countered with a fluid 6-0 burst to snatch the upperhand, 78-75, on Slaughter’s basket with 20 ticks left before the final buzzer.
Lamac had several chances to send the game into overtime but Demape and Bobby Hatague misfired their 3-point attempts as the gameclock expired.
Several other UV cagers keyed Pulpogan’s breath-taking triumph with Ritchum Dennison, Ariel Mepaña and Chris Victor Diputado conniving for 34 points.
Hatague paced Lamac with 20 points followed by Jimwell Torion and Jabe Delfino with 12 and 11 markers, respectively, Demape was handcuffed to only eight points.
The three-month hardcourt tilt is strongly supported by the municipal government of Consolacion under the leadership of Mayor Avelino Gungob, Jr. and Vice Mayor Ember V. Alinsug. Overseeing the games is Poblacion Oriental Brgy. Councilor Paul Alelu Q. Flores, a former star of the FEU Tamaraws in his UAAP days.
In an exhibition game, the Cansaga selection tamed the Flores Cousins, 94-91. It was the Flores Counsins’ second straight setback after posting back-to-back wins last week.
The scores
Pulpogan (78) - Slaughter 18, Padilla 17, Dennison 9, Mepaña 8, Diputado 7, Tagalog 4, Calo 2, Villanil 2, Lao 1
Lamac (75) - Hatague 20, Torion 2, Delfino 11, Demape 8, Malinao 8, Llera 4, Omolon 4, Amores 4, Toring 3, Espinosa 1
Quarterscores:18-11, 41-37, 61-60, 78-75 – EBV (THE FREEMAN)