Gullas cup basketball: Minglanilla stages great escape, Carcar routs Sibonga

CEBU, Philippines — The Abante Minglanilla team rallied from 16 points down in the first half to repulse the equally tough

Talisay Aksyon Agad, 86-83, in the Rhea Gullas Cup 2024 First District of Cebu Inter-City/Municipality Sports

Festival over the weekend at the jampacked Talisay City Sports Complex.

Trailing 28-44 midway in the second quarter after a 13-0 bomb by Talisay, Minglanilla unleashed a daring fightback behind the all-around brilliance of  JC Rex Sanguenza, who filled the stat sheet with a game-high 26 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and six steals.

Ken Salma scored only seven but caught part of the spotlight as his crucial back-to-back baskets in the  closing seconds helped Minglanilla pull away for a nervy three-point victory.

Isaac Dave Ocaba was the only other double-digit scorer for Minglanilla with 10 points.

John Mark Lasola had 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists, Jhann Brixter Villarias tallied 14 markers, while Kevin Cabañero and John Niño Butong combined for 22 points in a losing effort for Talisay.

In other game,  Julius Tipon dropped 18 points on top of five rebounds, five assists, and four steals to power Sidlak Carcar to a 96-51 annihilation of the hapless Blissful Sibonga.

Jomari Gallego and Jethro RJ Sogolili added 12 points each for Carcar, which didn’t have any trouble since  racing to a hot 23-11 start.

Carcar kept on pounding Sibonga the rest of the way leading to an eye-popping 45-point blowout.

Nino Keans Dean Hermia and Charles Bryle Medina were the only bright spots for Sibonga with 15 and 12  points, respectively. — (FREEMAN)