KAPANGAN, Benguet – Kapangan took the last seat to the quarterfinals of the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup after a strong finish to finish off upset conscious Atok, 91-81, at the Kapangan closed court here Wednesday.
The team joined Mankayan, which finished off Kabayan, 72-69, Tuesday night at the Benguet Sports Complex in La Trinidad.
The two then completed the eighth quarterfinal slot after nearly two weeks of trying and nearly went into the tie break to determine which two teams advance to the postseason.
For Mankayan, it was a do-or-die after three successive setbacks, when it faced off Kabayan which grabbed an early third-round 10-point lead. Mankayan clawed its way back and was leading by as much as 15 early in the fourth.
But Kabayan came back to life and was trailing Mankayan by a measly one point, 69-70, with less than a minute.
A win could result in a possible four-way tie with Kabayan advancing due to a better point differential.
Kapangan was in a different situation that a win could send any of Tuesday’s winners to the quarterfinals. A loss and a Mankayan loss could see it and Atok advancing.
A loss by eight points and a Mankayan win could see the mining town and Atok moving on to the quarterfinals.
The two will fave the two toughest teams in the league with the eighth-ranked Mankayan facing off with top seed Bokod, while Kapangan goes up against La Trinidad 1.
Third seed Itogon (11-2) faces off with sixth seed Buguias (7-6), while Tuba (10-3) is set to go up against fifth seed La Trinidad 2 (9-4). La Trinidad 2 completed its elimination matches also Wednesday with a 104-79 rout of cellar dweller Kibungan (2-11).
Quarterfinal games will be on November 4 at the Tuba gym and rubber matches, in case of upsets, are slated the next day also at the same gym.
Booted out are Atok, Bakun, Kabayan, Sablan, Tublay and Kibungan. Pigeon Lobien
