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| Mark Yee and Bacoor City stomped over King Caralipio and Zamboanga anew to enter the MPBL South Division Finals. MPBL |
BATANGAS CITY--The other MPBL national finalist last year is gone as well.
Bacoor City ended Zamboanga's quest for redemption after eliminating them with a 78-72 win in Game 2 of the South Division semifinals on Saturday night at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum.
Bacoor City crippled Zamboanga in the second quarter, holding them to just 12 points even as the top-seeded team opened a 69-52 lead with six minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Zamboanga crawled back and cut the lead down to four with lots of time left, but the team's pressure defense on Bacoor City faltered as Jhan Nermal hit two free throws and James Kwekuteye scored a buzzer-beating layup to formally ice the game.
Nermal, the breakout star for Bacoor City this season, led the team in scoring with 25 points with seven rebounds and one steal.
Kwekuteye added 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one block.
Jayvee Marcelino led Zamboanga, which was dethroned as the South champ, with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists in the elimination game where his twin brother Jaycee, the reigning MVP, was held to just eight points on a dismal 2-of-16 shooting.
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