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Filbasket: San Juan, Nueva Ecija set up finals showdown

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The San Juan Knights celebrate after clinching their Finals berth in the Filbasket tournament. Photo courtesy of Filbasket" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/05/02/sjk.jpg"/><figcaption>The San Juan Knights celebrate after clinching their Finals berth in the Filbasket tournament. Photo courtesy of Filbasket</figcaption></figure></div>The San Juan Knights and the Nueva Ecija Capitals will clash in the finals of the Filbasket 2022 Summer Championship, after sweeping their respective semis opponents on Sunday night at the San Jose del Monte City Sports Complex in Bulacan. San Juan completed a shock 2-0 sweep of the previously unbeaten Tanduay Rum Masters, while Nueva Ecija ousted the All Star Bacolod Ballers Bingo Plus.The Knights displayed their poise in a 92-81 win against Tanduay, with Johnard Clarito scoring 15 points while newly-crowned league MVP Justin Gutang added 14 markers.San Juan erased a slim 70-68 deficit by scoring 13 straight points to open the final quarter, seven of which came from CJ Isit. A three-pointer by Jeckster Apinan pulled the Rum Masters to within five points, 86-81, with a little over two minutes left, but Gutang&#x27;s dunk in transition took the wind out of Tanduay&#x27;s sails.Tanduay, after going a perfect 11-0 in the elimination round, had no answer for San Juan in the semifinals. Apinan led the way for the Rum Masters with 20 points, but they only shot 34% from the field as a team.Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija clobbered Bacolod, 88-72, to punch their finals ticket.The Capitals used a 15-2 run in the fourth quarter to turn a tight game into a rout, as they seized a comfortable 86-69 lead with three minutes to go.Michael Mabulac led Nueva Ecija with 14 points, while Bobby Balucanag and Byron Villarias added ten points apiece. Bacolod&#x27;s star forward, Mark Yee, missed a second straight game for personal reasons. Bingo Plus was out-rebounded, 43-27, and shot just 3-of-19 from long distance. Jerome Garcia led the way for them with 12 points.The best-of-3 finals begin on Wednesday, still at the Bulacan venue.

The San Juan Knights and the Nueva Ecija Capitals will clash in the finals of the Filbasket 2022 Summer Championship.