Host Zamboanga needed a strong fourth quarter to turn back Cagayan de Oro, 87-83, at the start of the VisMin Cup Invitational tournament at the Mayor Vitaliano Agan Coliseum In Zamboanga City.
The Valientes outscored the Stampede, 25-11, in the final quarter, with James Kwekuteye and ex-Philippine Basketball Association guard Rudy Lingganay joining forces and providing the much-needed support to Mario Chalmers.
Chalmers, the two-time National Basketball Association champion from the Miami Heat, led the Valientes’ production with 18 points, the same output tallied by Kwekuteye, a shooting guard from San Beda.
Lingganay, a veteran guard who played for Powerade, GlobakPort, Kia, NLEX and TNT, added 16 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Also having a solid game is Jeremy Arthur, a PBA prospect, who failed to join the Rookie Draft as he wasn’t able to secure his documents in time for the annual festivities last year.
He is using this tournament to continuously gain exposure and hopefully crack the PBA in the draft late this year.
Against the Stampede, Arthur ended up with 16 points and seven rebounds.
Former PBA import Renaldo Balkman took the backseat on offense, producing only seven, but grabbing 15 rebounds for the Valientes’ strong start in this tournament which is being headed by commissioner Cris Bautista.
Misamis Oriental-Noble Seafoods and Grill survived a hot-shooting Jermale Jones before pulling off a 101-96 triumph over McDavid ZamPen in the other game.
