OLD FORM. Reed Juntilla has been on a tear for the Lapu-Lapu Heroes during the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup Visayas leg playoffs. The 36-year-old shooting guard scored 19 points as Lapu-Lapu defeated Mandaue City, 65-52, on Tuesday night (May 4, 2021) to force a decider that will determine Talisay’s opponent in the leg finals. (Photo courtesy of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup)
MANILA – With a lineup so stacked, many tipped Lapu-Lapu as among the favorites to win the Visayas leg of the Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup or at least give Talisay, the consensus cinch to win it all, a run for its money.
But no thanks to their controversial game against the Siquijor Mystics midway into the classification phase.
With their key players suspended for a few games amidst the game-fixing allegations that surrounded the game, Lapu-Lapu could not find its bearing and was slowly going down the team standings.
The return of its key players even hardly mattered as the Heroes were the victims of the biggest upset so far in the league's inaugural season, a 73-76 loss to the Tabogon Voyagers on April 22.
"Struggle talaga kami kasi may problema kami na pinagdaanan 'di ba? Hindi ko inexpect yun, lalo na yung talo naman sa (We really struggled because we were facing a problem. I did not expect it, especially our loss to) Tabogon," said Reed Juntilla, one of Lapu-Lapu's veterans.
Instead of making the semifinals outright with a twice-to-beat advantage, the Heroes now need to grind it out if they want to make it to the finals.
Worse, after conceding a 62-99 loss to Talisay which posted an elimination round sweep and an outright seat to the best-of-three Visayas finals, Lapu-Lapu now has to undergo a stepladder playoff for the other finals spot, making their journey even tougher.
That is where Juntilla showed up.
The 36-year-old veteran played as if it was the 2000's again when he was still a star in the defunct Philippine Basketball League, averaging 22.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in the knockout phases.
The six-foot-two shooting guard said stepping up is very timely as the Heroes have to endure do-or-die games from hereon.
"Wala nang bukas kasi. Kailangan ko embrace 'yung challenge na binigay sa akin (There is no more tomorrow. I need to embrace the challenge that was given to me)," the native of Carmen, Cebu said.
Juntilla added that their loss to the Voyagers motivated him further to bring back his old form.
"Ako magtetake charge dito sa team at shineshare ko yung experience ko sa laro. Kailangan din talaga i-push yung teammates ko at ilabas yung puso sa laro (I will take charge for this team, and I am sharing my experience in the game. I also need to push my teammates and play with heart)," he said.
Lapu-Lapu's Cinderella run is not yet over as the team still needs to beat Mandaue again on Wednesday night at the Alcantara Civic Center in Cebu for the right to face Talisay in the Visayas finals.
Lapu-Lapu forced sudden death in the semifinals by canceling Mandaue's twice-to-beat advantage with a 67-52 blowout win on Tuesday night.
Juntilla believes Lapu-Lapu still has a lot to show in the knockout game.
"Kaya pa! Laban pa! Kondisyon pa kaming lahat (We can still do it! We can still fight! We are still in good condition)," he said. (PNA)
