Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
AMBOY'S Cup progressed to the final of the YOU.C1000 Cup after a hard-fought 77-66 win over Easyway in the semi-finals on Wednesday.
They will face Propel x Teik Goldsmith in the title decider on Saturday at 7.45pm right after the three-point contest.
Jomarie Corpuz notched 20 points to pace Amboy's Cup – 12 of them coming in the decisive period.
Cleverson Baguioro came up clutch towards the end as he finished 15 points – all of them coming from behind the arc.
Luis Santos grabbed 12 points and Elvin Requintin added 11 in the victory.
On the other side, Jake Chong raked in a game-high of 21 points while Kelvin Chai added 12.
Darren Lee was the other player in double digit scoring with 10 off the bench in a losing effort.
Easyway came into the game without their starting guard Jonathan Lim and lost Chan Yung Ken through injury just minute into the game.
Amboy's Cup utilise their size advantage and ended the first quarter with a 21-16 lead at the BBA Court in Batu Bersurat.
The game was tied at 31-31 with just over three minutes left after a steal and finish courtesy of Devon Lim.
Both sides then missed a handful of baskets as Amboy's Cup stayed in front 35-31 at halftime.
They went toe to toe as they exchanged baskets but Easyway went in front after Chong converted a layup in transition to put them up 44-42.
He then made another basket before picking up his fourth foul with three minutes left in the third.
It remained neck and neck as they were tied 52-52 going into the final frame.
Amboy's Cup then got the ball into the hands of Corpuz to run their offence.
He knocked down a trey to give them a 61-54 lead with 6:24 left in the game.
Easyway had trouble at the offensive end as they went without a field goal for over four minutes.
Amboy's Cup built a double digit lead after Corpuz dropped another three-pointer to make it 66-56 with 3:40 to play.
Easyway closed to within six points but Baguioro came up clutch with back-to-back three-pointers.
He got one to fall with over two minutes left and hit the dagger to make it a 12-point game with 1:18 left in regulation.
Easyway had to foul to stop the clock but Amboy's Cup had no problems from the line to see them through to the final.
The third-place playoff between Easyway and Wan Sing will be contested on Friday at 7pm.
