Saipan Tribune

Friday, May 24, 2013

Monday, October 01, 2012

Mobil keeps unblemished record

Five down, three to go.

Defending champion Mobil kept its bid for a perfect mark alive, following a 103-78 thrashing of the Archers in the lone game played in the 2012 Emon Lodge 179 Basketball League-Docomo Brotherhood Cup last Saturday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Mobil, which missed an immaculate mark in the inaugural season of the Emon Lodge caging after posting an 8-1 card, losing to eventual pennant champion Armatech in 2010, broke the Archers' back in the second canto to earn its most lopsided win so far in the nine-team league.

The Marvin Deocares-coached squad was ahead by only 8 at the end of the first period, 24-16, when Jun Estolas sparked the second-quarter breakaway. Estolas scored 13 of Mobil's 31 points, just four markers short of the Archers' total output, giving the defending champion a commanding 52-36 halftime advantage.

The Mobil guard started the second canto with a triple and converted two more shots from downtown, capping an eight-point surge with his third triple of the night midway in that period. Before his second-quarter explosion, Estolas just logged 2 points in the opening canto.

The Archers, who are winless in three games, never made a joint effort to launch a comeback in the second half, as they were contended trading baskets with Mobil, instead of playing tough defense to neutralize Estolas and company.

The Archers played without Jack Lizama and clearly missed his presence, while Estolas' teammates stepped up in absence of Marvin Rabauliman. Larry Sharry, Banjo Basila, and Badong Camacho finished in double digits and combined for 33 points to back up the 26 markers of Estolas, while Gil Gapor and Gyles Ruluked totaled 17. Angelo Fernando chipped in 15.

Edmark Mendoza paced the Archers with his 17 points, while Pando Muleta and Kae Bernarod had 16 and 15 markers, respectively, but their baskets came when the game was already decided.

Meanwhile, in the first game, Brabu/Ashley's (4-2) was awarded a free win after only three Oceanside Bar/Hoopaholics players showed up for the curtain raiser.

By the time the 15-minute grace period buzzer sounded, the Hoops (4-2) had only Zack Babauta, Dexter Tenorio, and Walter Mendez available for the game.

The Hoops and Brabu/Ashley's now share second place behind Mobil and PIC, which hold similar 5-0 cards. The two unbeaten teams will square off this Thursday and Mobil's last two games will be against Hi-Five (Oct. 11) and Servitek (Oct. 14).

Mobil 103 - Estolas 26, Fernando 15, Sharry 12, Basila 11, Camacho 10, Gapor 9, Ruluked 8, Abuan 6, Tumaquip 6, Peredo 2.

Archers 78 - Mendoza 17, Muleta 16, Bernardo 15, Barrios 9, Danipog 5, M. Usi 4, Musni 5, Anicete 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-18, 52-36, 83-53, 103-78.