PAGADIAN. – Zamboanga Sibugay scored its fourth-straight victory, a 62-61 escape over skidding Basilan BRT in the Choooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Mindanao Challenge Monday at the Pagadian City Gymnasium here.
With the count tied at 58, Shaq Imperial banked in a jumper to give the Anak Mindanao Warriors a two-point advantage 60-58 with 1:33 to go. In the next play, Imperial drove to the basket and, at the last second, dropped the ball to Enrique Caunan for the easy lay-in to make it 62-58 with 48.5 ticks left.
“Stay composed lang kami palagi. Every possession composed lang,” said Warriors coach Arnold Oliveros. “Huwag mataranta, isecure namin ‘yung boards, walang second chance points.”
Zamboanga Sibugay improved to 4-2, tying Kapatagan for the top spot, while Basilan slipped to its third consecutive loss for an even 3-3 slate.
In other game, Kapatagan fended off home team Pagadian 69-62 for its fourth straight win.
Trailing by 13 late in the third frame, Pagadian went on a huge 21-9 blast, getting contributions from six players, to inch to just a point 58-59 with 3:13 remaining in the fourth period.
But the Buffalos had one last run in them to shrug off the comeback attempt of the Explorers.
Edrian Lao, Mark Daanoy, KD Ariar, and Joel Sollano dropped baskets during a 10-4 closing run to cap the win.
