West Negros, Cavite book tickets to Seaoil semifinals

BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines  – San Mig Coffee-backed West Negros U and Cavite dominated their respective opponents to book the first two semifinal berths in the Seaoil Elite League National Finals at the West Negros U gym here yesterday.

The Junior Mustangs leaned on a strong start and then weathered repeated rallies by the Purefoods TJ-Cebu cagers to eke out an 80-76 victory for a 2-0 card in Group C.

Cavite, represented by four schools from Bacoor and Imus, used its height advantage to the hilt as it walloped San Mig Coffee-Iligan, 96-51, to likewise advance with a similar 2-0 card.

Renz Solomon and Scott Heria fired 14 points each while Joshue Segumpan scored eight of his nine points in the fourth quarter to power the Bacolod boys to the Final Four.

They rallied to edge Magnolia-La Union, 90-78, in Sunday’s opener.

Rowell Torio, on the other hand, led Cavite, which edged Dumaguete, 72-71, over the weekend, with 12 points while 6-2 John Paul Sarao and 6-0 Ronald Ken Agbay put in 10 points apiece and dominated the boards.

“Our strength is really inside and we made the most out of it by scoring off big defensive stops,” said Cavite coach Julius Hidalgo.

In the semis, West Negros will face the winner between Purefoods TJ-backed St. John of Bacolod and Davao, both unbeaten in Group B.

St. John slammed Monterey-Bulacan, 82-54, and BMEG Derby Ace Ormoc, 83-48, while Davao, which produced former NCAA high school MVP and now San Beda senior rookie standout Baser Amer, whipped Ormoc, 112-57, and Bulacan, 83-54, to set up a do-or-die duel for the last semis berth.

Cavite, for its part, will meet with Magnolia Frozen Delights-Iloilo, which followed up its 84-72 victory over Magnolia-General Santos with a 72-60 trouncing of BMEG Premium Lucena to top Group A.

In other group stage results, Dumaguete turned back Star Margarine-Zamboanga, 69-68, while Monterey Meatshop Cagayan de Oro nipped Magnolia-La Union, 99-84.

The three-day event is bankrolled by Seaoil and supported by San Miguel Corp.