MALOLOS CITY—The defending champion Malolos Mighty Sports basketball team of Mayor Christian Natividad and Bulacan Rep. Jon Jon Mendoza bagged its second Republika Cup Championship last week after beating the Malolos Republica team, 86-84.
Powered by former pro standouts Marlou Aquino and Kenneth Duremdes, the Mighty Sports team was able to close out the tightly contested game in the last 21 seconds as Duremdes and Niño Marquez combined for six straight points.
The Malolos Republics had a chance to win the game but failed to convert on their last play. Mighty Sports’ Kris Rosales, the league MVP, was fouled and he split his charities for the final score.
Aquino led the scoring with 20 points.
Mighty Sports led by as many as 15 points in the middle of the third quarter but back-to-back treys by Republics hotshots Allan Mangahas and Jonathan Fernandez cut the lead to seven.