CEBU - The twice-to-beat Team RemEMBER dumped Jeff Pharma, 79-67, to advance into the semifinals without any glitch in the 6th M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Under-21 Developmental Basketball League at the Consolacion Sports Complex.
The RemEMBER mainstays of Consolacion Vice Mayor Ember V. Alinsug and team manager Paul Alelu Q. Flores, a former star of the FEU Tamaraws during his UAAP days, will face next the winner of the sudden-death showdown between the MLSDF selection and Consolacion National High School (CNHS) Black Shama this Saturday.
The CNHS Black Shama lived and fight for another day after easing out a 64-61 win over the Bracket B topseed MLSDF selection.
It was a tightly-knit match that was accounted for 11 deadlocks, the last was at 61-all with only 12 ticks left before the final buzzer.
Just as when everybody thought the game will go into overtime, Tibalan came out of nowhere to sink a long, miracle 3-pointer at the fullhouse buzzer to vault Black Shama to a stunning victory. Tibalan finished with nine points, all from beyond the arc, but it was Lemuel Malagar who topscored for Black Shama with a game-high 20 points.
The three-month event “for-a-cause” is organized by MLSDF executive director and multi-titled coach Eddie B. Ybañez. A total of P10,000 in cash prizes are at stake and will be donated to charitable institutions of the winners’ choice.
The scores
CNHS (64) — Malagar, 20, Rio 16, Linao 15, Tibalan 9, Jabla 3, Cadampog 1
MLSDF (61) — Tabalin 14, Cabahug Ed. 8, Banate 8, Panerio 7, Buacayan 6, Dinsay 6, Ferraren 5, Otida 4, Palos 3
Quarterscores: 17-18, 32-31, 45-43, 64-61. — EBV (THE FREEMAN)