Mandaue falters in battle for third place

Cagayan de Oro- What started off as a season of renewal and hope for the Mandaue-Cebu Landmasters/RDAK ended in despair as they will be coming back to Cebu empty-handed after losing to the Laguna Golden Lions, 77-85, in the third place game of the SMC Liga Pilipinas Super Leg yesterday here at the Xavier University gym.

The rejuvenated Landmasters started this season off with a lot of promise and delivered on them all as they captured titles in three of the four leg tournaments that they joined, en route to grabbing the top seed in the standings heading to the Super Leg.

However, their fortunes spiraled downwards after Super Leg’s hosting rights were awarded to Misamis Oriental in spite of Mandaue’s league-leader status after the pocket tournament phase.

Add to that the injury suffered by star wingman Mark Magsumbol and the heartbreaking one-point defeat they suffered at the hands of the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños at the start of the Super Leg and the Landmasters were in for a wild ride.

That ride ended yesterday afternoon in defeat under a barrage of points from Bryan Faundo, who scored 10 in a difference-making 14-4 surge in the fourth period that dealt the final blow to Mandaue’s hopes of at least bringing a trophy back home to backers Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and team owners Joe Soberano and Rick King.

Faundo ended up with 20 points while Glenn Bolocon, the league’s MVP and a Cebuano himself, added 15 markers. Mandaue was led by the 22 points of former PBL MVP Vic Manuel.