NAGA Atong Garbo pulled off a stunning upset over defending champion Abante Minglanilla, 66-64, in the ongoing Rhea Gullas Cup 2025 First District Basketball Tournament on Tuesday, Sept. 9, at the Enan Chiong Sports Complex in Naga City, Cebu.
Fueled by determination and the energy of their hometown crowd, the underdog Naga squad showed grit and resilience in a tightly contested match that featured 10 lead changes and six deadlocks.
Naga caught Minglanilla flatfooted in the second quarter when it waxed hot and took an 11-point margin, 33-22.
It was a shocking development considering that in previous years, Minglanilla would typically defeat Naga with ease.
In the second half, Minglanilla showcased its championship pedigree and briefly took the lead, 58-56, with 4:47 left in the final quarter.
Energized by their home supporters, Coach Kim Reyes’ Naga team responded with a 5-0 rally, sparked by Riche Sarmiento II and Reche Navales, to regain the advantage, 61-58.
Minglanilla managed to trim the deficit to just one, 61-60, but Sarmiento calmly sank two free throws to stretch Naga’s lead. Moments later, Niño Denver Waskin drove in for a layup, giving Naga a 65-60 cushion with 1:25 remaining.
Minglanilla continued to fight until the final buzzer, but came up short as time expired.
Navales led Naga with 14 points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds, while Sarmiento added 10 points, three steals, two rebounds and one assist.
Minglanilla’s offense appeared off rhythm, as none of its players reached double figures. Cy Emmanuel Tamarra scored only nine points, while Kurt Denver Erediano and Khranz John Mendaros each had eight points.
With the loss, Minglanilla dropped to 3-2, but remained in second place behind undefeated Talisay (5-0), which earlier dealt the defending champion its first setback this year.
On the other hand, Naga improved to 2-3, securing fourth place overall and clinching the last spot in the Final Four. Carcar City is running third with a 3-2 record.
In other games, Talisay City blew out Blissful Sibonga, 100-69, and Carcar City crushed the San Fernando Buffalos, 85-56.
John Benedict Natividad fired 16 points for Talisay, while Kenzo Rafael Castillo added 15 points and eight rebounds. / JBM