VisMin Cup: CPG wins 8th straight game; Zamboanga triumphs anew

ZAMBOANGA – CPG Bohol escaped past a gritty Macfi-Basilan, 79-78, to extend its winning run to eight straight games and remain as the only undefeated team in the GlobalPort-VisMIn Cup's import-flavored conference at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum here late Monday night.

John Orbeta sank two pressure-packed free throws in the last nine seconds and the Dolphins had to hold their breath in the Golden Lions' next play and watched Jethro Sombero missing a wide open trey at the corner to preserve the win.

Earlier, Zamboanga posted its second straight win after outlasting Lawaan Kalos.Ph, 79-74.

The Valientes forced Kalos.Ph to a spate of turnovers in the endgame, allowing Reed Juntilla and Jerome Ferrer to score at the other end and hand Zamboanga its fifth win in eight games.

Zamboanga's win coupled by OCCCI Ormoc's 100-92 victory over Sultan Naga Dimaporo created a three-way tie for second to fourth places. The Valientes, the Sheer Masters of Ormoc and Kalos.Ph all carried 5-3 win-loss slates.

A former PBA player, Juntilla, the tournament's top local scorer, continued his solid showing in the tournament, finishing with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Ar-Rouf Julkipli, a homegrown player who also saw action in Zamboanga's MPBL team, added 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field.

Import Prince Eze played in pain and contributed 14 points on top of 16 rebounds and four blocks for the Valientes.

OCCCI Ormoc turned to homegrown players Rino Ramirez and Kobe Palencia in pulling off a win over the SND Barracudas, who lost their fifth consecutive game in the tournament.

Ramirez tallied 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, including a crucial trey in the last 58 seconds, which gave the Sheer Masters a 95-89 lead.
Palencia, on the other hand, had a solid all-around game of 10 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and his basket in the last 39 seconds gave Ormoc the cushion it needs in putting away SND.

Also winning Monday night was McDavid-ZamPen, which nipped Tubigon, 92-88.