
Jumbo Plastic-Basilan picked up where it left off in the Mindanao leg and pummeled KCS-Mandaue, 94-67, Wednesday, Aug. 11 in the opener of their best-of-five series for the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas Super Cup crown in Pagadian City.
Six players scored in doubles with Cris Bitoon, the Finals MVP of the Mindanao phase, leading the way with 19 points along with three assists and two steals as the Peace Riders posted a blowout victory over Mandaue to draw first blood in the Southern Finals.
Jong Baloria had 13 points, Michael Mabulac produced 11 points and six rebounds while Michael Juico, Bobby Balucanag and Philip Manalang added 10 for Basilan.
Basilan, which aims for a 2-0 lead the following night, has won all of its 11 games since the beginning of the Mindanao leg last month.
The Peace Riders led by a high of 36 points as the Mandaue felt the absence of key players from its title run in the Visayas leg in Alcantara, Cebu last May.
Steve Castro and Juan Miguel Gastador were the only Mandaue players in double figures with 18 and 11 points.
Mandaue was without Visayas leg Finals MVP Ping Exciminiano, Gryann Mendoza and Alfrancis Tamsi who are now in the PBA.
Earlier, Chooks-to-Go, the league’s title sponsor, announced it will hand P1 million to the winner of the Southern Finals with P500,000 going to the losing squad.