ALCANTARA, Cebu - The Tabogon Voyagers leaned on a big basket by Arvie Bringas to nip the Tubigon Bohol Mariners, 102-99, in the Visayas leg of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Tuesday night at the Civic Center.
With the score tied at 99-all, the veteran Bringas backed his defender down at the post and scored inside to give the Voyagers a 101-99 lead with 56 seconds to go.
In the Mariners’ next possession, Joseph Marquez’s entry pass was picked off by Voyagers wingman Jethro Sombero, leading to a free throw by Joemari Lacastesantos for a 102-99 Tabogon advantage, time down to 36 seconds.
Mac Montilla got two open shots at a game-tying three-pointer but missed both, allowing the Voyagers to escape with their first win of the tournament after opening their campaign with a loss to MJAS Zenith-Talisay City.
Bohol fell to 0-2.
Bringas finished the game with 24 points and eight rebounds while Sombero had a huge double-double of 15 points and 14 boards along with an assist and a steal. Almel Orquina added 14 points, three rebounds and seven assists while Niño Caballero chipped in 13 markers and seven boards.
Peter John de Ocampo rounded out Tabogon’s double-figure scorers with 12.
Tabogon coach Expedito Delos Santos said they had to rely on Bringas with former pro Harold Arboleda sidelined for a week by a sprained ankle suffered in their tournament debut.
“The play was to go in the post because we noticed they couldn’t stop him,” Delos Santos, a former PBA player, said of the game’s deciding play. “He’s one of the veterans of the group.”
Marquez almost had a triple-double for the Mariners with 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while Jumike Casera scored 14 points.
The scores:
Tabogon (102) — Bringas 24, Sombero 15, Orquina 14, Caballero13, De Ocampo 12, Lacastesantos 7, Delos Reyes 6, Bersabal 6, Diaz 5, Vitug 0.
Bohol (99) — Marquez 22, Casera 14, Cabizares 13, Leonida 12, Llagas 11, Montilla 8, Dadijul 7, Ibarra 4, Tilos 4, Musngi 2, Tangunan 2, Apolonias 0.
Quarterscores: 29-33, 58-62, 81-84, 102-99
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph