Landmasters survive Ilocos Sur CS Tigers in Liga hoop

Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
4 p.m. – MisOr vs. Ilocos Sur
6 p.m. – MLKP-Cebu vs. Mandaue

The Mandaue–Cebu Landmasters/RDAK star continues to shine as they barged into the championship of the second leg of the Liga Pilipinas V after they edged the Ilocos Sur CS Tigers, 67-66, yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Donning the hero’s cape for the Landmasters was Hafer Mondragon, who turned trash into gold as he sank the game-winning basket off a broken play with just 1.4 seconds remaining in the pulse-pounding game.

The win gave Mandaue a 2-0 (win-loss) record, which assured it of a slot in the finals.

Mondragon’s basket salvaged what was turning out to be a miserable fourth period by the Landmasters.

They came all the way back from an 11-point deficit in the second period to lead by seven, 53-46, heading to the fourth.

However, the Tigers scratched and clawed their way back behind Ramsey Williams and Chito Jaime, whose three-point shot put them in front, 66-62, with 1:44 remaining.

But Mark Magsumbol, the former NCAA finals MVP, completed a three-point play that closed the gap to one, 65-66, on the next play.

Then, with just eight ticks remaining on the clock, Magsumbol tapped the ball over to Mondragon in a mad scramble, which the latter promptly canned for the game-wining shot.