Dumanjug and Malabuyoc clash in high-stakes local basketball finals
This came after their respective thrilling victories, with Malabuyoc pulling off a surprise 97-92 win over Bracket B leader Alegria, while Dumanjug edged Moalboal, 65-62, in the semifinal matches held Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Jose Macoy Gymnasium in Dumanjug, Cebu.
By virtue of their five-point winning margin in the semifinals, Malabuyoc will host Game One of the best-of-three finals, while Game Two will be played on Dumanjug's home court.
If necessary, Game Three will return to Malabuyoc's court.
Alegria appeared to be on track for victory after building a 12-point lead in the third quarter, 65-53, following two completed free throws by Jesham Saban.
They maintained control, 76-69, with 8:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. However, Malabuyoc, led by Joseph Velarde, Jake Leo Quim, and Jayson Cabrera, suddenly unleashed a 9-2 rally to tie the score at 78-all with 6:38 left in regulation.
A three-pointer by Quim sparked another rally for coach Johnfiel Mejo's squad that ultimately sealed their victory.
"Our practices have been intense. Now that we've reached the finals, we need even more practice. To those who supported us, we hope you'll still be there in the finals. You've been a big help to the team," said Mejo.
Cabrera's hot shooting proved too much for Alegria, as he finished with 34 points, including seven three-pointers, earning Best Player of the Game honors.
Joseph Velarde also delivered a monster performance with 19 points and 17 rebounds, while Kyle John Cardosa added 17 points and seven assists.
For Alegria, Vil March Amacna led the way with 23 points and 12 rebounds despite early foul trouble.
Meanwhile, Dumanjug showed solid dominance against Moalboal for more than three quarters in the other semifinal match.
They even built a 16-point lead, 46-30, with 2:09 left in the third quarter after a three-pointer by Carl Escuadro.
But in the closing minutes, Moalboal mounted a late surge behind a three-pointer by Kian Chym Garol, followed by a layup and short jumper from Lance Igorote, as well as a three-point buzzer-beater by Jhon Ryan Abines that rattled Dumanjug.
Still, the comeback fell short as Moalboal simply ran out of time.
Although Dumanjug secured their finals berth, they lost their chance to gain homecourt advantage.
They needed to win by at least six points to surpass Malabuyoc's five-point winning margin.
"It's unfortunate because they hit the last three-pointer at the buzzer, so we ended up at a disadvantage for homecourt," said Dumanjug head coach Nilo Quirante.
Quirante added that they will need to intensify their training, noting that Malabuyoc is a very organized team.
"We'll really try to adjust since we've never faced them before. This is our first time," added Quirante, a former varsity player of the University of Cebu and a former member of the Cebu Gems in the MBA.
Raquel James Teleron recorded a double-double for Dumanjug with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Jhun Miguel Telmo added 10 points.
For Moalboal, Garol scored 18 points, Igorote had 13, and Klent Sabac chipped in 12.
