Mawin's Kitchen survives Emilmich to bag JS Contractors cage crown

CEBU, Philippines - Mawin's Kitchen of team owners Sherwin Lequit and Maia Adriatico bested crowd-favorite Emilmich by the slimmest of margins, 79-78, to clinch the title of the JS Contractor's Cup basketball tournament at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Gym in Brgy. Punta Princesa, this city.

Emilmich trailed in the entire first half and threatened to snatch the crown after taking a 62-60 lead at end the third period.

 The threesome efforts of Jun Llenes, Titing Piliotas and Jimson Olpoc kept on making ways to counter almost every basket scored by Mawin's resulting into a see-saw battle all the way through the second half.

Stanley Lequit, brother of Sherwin, became the hero of the game when he cooly sank two free throws in the final 14 seconds to lift Mawin's to victory.

Matt Vallejo fired 23 points to pace Mawin's Kitchen, while Egin Taborada added 16 markers.

Llenes finished with 22 points even as Piliotas and Olpoc each scored 10 points for the Emilmich.

In the battle for third, the Panthers defeated the Victor Village Residents Association (VVRA), 75-71.

Gobs Baclaan and Weweng Ibrada had 20 and 19 points for the Panthers, while Neptune Carungay and Gerry Empenado scored 23 points apiece for VVRA.

 The scores

First game

Panthers (75) - G. Baclaan 20, Ibrada 19, R. Baclaan 11, P. Yray 7, Vallejo 6, A. Yray 6, Dungog 2, Amat 2, Padigos 2

VVRA (71) - G. Empenado 23, Carungay 23, Velez 7, Moreno 6, Baric 4, Quiroz 2, Liboon 2, Jayme 2, Dong 2

Second game

Mawin's (79) - Vallejo 23, Taborada 16, Sh. Lequit 12, S. Lequit 7, Madrelino 6, Vinalon 4, Tecson 3, Bouffard 2, Cabahug 2, Empenado 2, Pineda 2

Emilmich (78) - J. Llenes 22, Piliotas 10, J. Olpoc 10, Iconas 8, Ilagan 8, Badon 8, V. Llenes 5, Vinalon 3, Janolan 2, Olpoc 2 (GGM)   (FREEMAN NEWS)