ALCANTARA—The KCS Computer Specialist-Mandaue City put the clamps on the Tubigon Bohol Mariners to win, 80-50, and clinch a spot in the semifinals of the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup on Tuesday afternoon at the Alcantara Civic Center in Alcantara, Cebu.
Still smarting from their 73-81 loss to the MJAS Zenith-Talisay City Aquastars last Saturday, KCS vented their ire on Bohol and limited the Mariners to a combined 17 points in the middle periods to eventually come away with their sixth victory in eight games.
KCS was so sharp on defense that they held Bohol to the lowest number of points scored in league history, breaking the 53-point output of the Tabogon Voyagers in their 53-86 loss to this very same KCS squad last April 16.
After leading by seven, 22-15, after the first period, the wards of head coach Mike Reyes dug in on defense and made life tough for Bohol’s top guns Pari Llagas and Joseph Marquez. With the Mariners’ reserves also unable to get into a rhythm, KCS took advantage and scored a combined 34 points in the second and third periods to open up a huge 56-32 lead heading to the last canto.
Former CESAFI MVP Shaquille Imperial came off the bench and led the team with 15 points, seven rebounds, an assist and two steals while fellow guard Gileant Delator had 13 points and five dimes. Big man Michole Solera contributed 10 markers, seven boards, two assists, a steal and a block.
Afterwards, head coach Mike Reyes said he is pleased to see his team embrace their identity as a defensive-minded squad.
“That’s getting to be our identity as a team sa VisMin Cup, limiting our opponents and playing good defense. Kung hindi din ako nagkakamali, kami din ang nakapagbigay din ng lowest outpost of Talisay,” said Reyes.
“Thats what I said before, na we need to find out our identity as a team and that is playing great defense.”
After snatching their first win of the tournament—a convincing 92-77 victory over Tabogon—last Saturday, Bohol was brought back down to earth and fell to 1-7 (win-loss) for the season. Llagas led the way for the Mariners with 18 points and 20 rebounds while Marquez, who is the league’s leading scorer, finished with just 12.
THE SCORES
KCS-Mandaue (80)—Imperial 15, Delator 13, Solera 10, Octobre 9, Castro 8, Roncal 8, Bongaciso 7, Mendoza 5, Mercader 3, Cachuela 2, Soliva 0
Bohol (50)—Llagas 18, Marquez 12, Ibarra 7, Cabizares 5, Dadjilul 3, Tangunan 2, Musngi 2, Casera 1, Tilos 0, Leonida 0
Quarterscores: 22-15, 39-24, 56-32, 80-50
(JNP)