Saipan Tribune

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Freestyl boosts playoff bid

Freestyl got out of a four-way logjam for the second spot in Pool A of the 2012 DLX/Gualo Rai Invitational Basketball League after whipping San Roque, 70-59, last Monday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Freestyl now has a 4-2 record, one win ahead of Looban, LD Prime, and Church 360, which are in a deadlock with their identical 3-2 slates. Besides taking the solo second place behind first playoff qualifier and Pool B leader Anjie's Boys (5-1), Freestyl also strengthened its chances for one of the three playoff berths left in Pool B. Only the Top 4 teams in the group will march into the next round and San Roque (1-4) and Yuchiro Printing (1-5) are out of the running, leaving six more teams to battle for the remaining playoff tickets.

A 22-2 dagger in the opening quarter was all Freestyl needed to secure the important win. Donovan Brennan led Freestyl's strong start, scoring 8 points, while four of his teammates also break into the scoreboard for the big 20-point lead. San Roque's lone field goal in the first period came from Mike Borja midway in that canto.

San Roque picked up its scoring in the second quarter, as its key players reported to the game, but Freestly managed to protect the double-digit lead in the last three periods to eliminate the former.

Brennan paced Freestyl with his 20 points, while George Cruz chipped in 11, and Dennis Morales and Clayton Kenty added 10 each.

Rommel Usi was the lone double figure scorer for San Roque with 13.

San Antonio 77, MBI 74

Brgy. San Antonio also boosted its playoff bid after slipping past MBI.

San Antonio improved to a 4-1 record for second place behind the unbeaten Zhaila's All-Stars. MBI fell to fourth place with its 3-2 card. KFC/Taco Bell, which won over Playboy last Friday occupies the No. 3 spot with its 4-3 slate.

Jaymark De Guzman and Melvin Cadiang top-scored for San Antonio with 17 markers apiece, combining for most of San Antonio points in the fourth canto to thwart MBI's comeback bids. Cadiang had 9 of San Antonio's 21 markers, while De Guzman drilled 10, including a pair of free throws that sealed the team's 3-point win.

MBI spent Monday night chasing San Antonio, as the former fell behind by double digits in the first half after playing sans Leo Galarse. The MBI top-scorer showed up in the second half with San Antonio ahead, 46-32, and failed to make headway in the third, tallying only 2 points.

San Antonio kept the driver's seat at the end of the third, 56-47, but were threatened with Galarse, Nole David, and Dexter Tenorio teaming up in MBI's comeback attempts. However, Cadiang and De Guzman canned rally-halting baskets to save San Antonio in the end.

First Game

San Antonio 77 - Cadiang 17, De Guzman 17, Palacios 13, Ni. Salem 9, Alegre 6, Tabora 6, Ne. Salem 5, Aranda 4.

MBI 74 - Mendoza 19, Tenorio 14, David 10, Samson 10, Trajano 8, Galarse 8, Hernandez 4.

Scoring by quarters: 22-13, 46-32, 56-47, 77-74.

Second Game

Freestyl 70 - Brennan 30, G. Cruz 11, Kenty 10, Morales 10, Ylung 6, Detera 4, Alejandro 4, R. Cruz 3, Barrozo 2.

San Roque 59 - R. Usi 12, M. Usi 9, Aguilar 8, Salazar 6, Bautista 6, Anicete 5, Odicta 3, Borja 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-2, 32-21, 52-39, 70-59.