Valiant Bank outmaneuvered defending champion BBC in the endgame to hack out a 78-75 victory and clinch top spot in group 2 in the 7th Tan Kek Pin Cup Memorial Basketball Tournament at the Po Hang Gym of Bacolod Tay Tung High School.

Valiant proved steadier in the battle of unbeaten teams, relying on Johnson Salazar's clutch shooting down the stretch to extend its winning streak to six games.

The win puts Valiant on top of group 2 with a 3-0 record, followed by BBC at 2-1, Province of Negros Occidental 1-2 and AA Electrical 0-3.

Salazar, who notched 12 points, nailed a triple from the corner to give Valiant a 75-70 lead with 2 minutes left and later clinched the win with two free throws in the final seven seconds.

Joebert Pastias had allowed BBC to close in at 73-76 with a three-point play with 24 seconds left, but he muffed two free throws when he was fouled in the next play, although Robert Buñol was there to follow the miss. Salazar converted two free throws in the succeeding play before Bobot Divinagracia, Pastias and Buñol all missed desperation triples

BBC last tied the count at 65-all on Lemuel Unabia's lay-up, before Leo Abao's four free throws and Ryan Hugnatan's close-range stab allowed Valiant to take a 72-67 lead heading into the final 3:18.

Salazar finished with 12 points, while Hugnatan added 11. Warren Alintano and Bobby Cepeda scored 10 apiece, even as Richard Verayo and Abao chipped in 8. Pastias had 21 points, Divinagracia scored 12 and Buñol added 10. Meanwhile, Province of Negros Occidental secured the third spot in Group 2 with a 106-84 win over AA Electrical.

Ladrido led Province with 21 points, while Frederick Premaylo chipped in 18. Berto Celis, Jun Tumamot, Donny Suarez and Mark Ramos combined for 32 points. RB Chua and Jojo Gabayoyo once again led AA Electrical but their efforts were not enough. Only Romeo Pactao-in and Chac Mirano were the remaining AA players in double figures with 10 points each.

Valiant will play the second placer in group 1, while BBC will battle the top team in group 1 with the winners getting an automatic semis berth. The loser will be relegated to the quarterfinal round.*CPT

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