Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Saturday, October 06, 2012

QQ vs Freestyl for last playoff berth

QQ Rent A Car forced a rubber match against Freestyl for the last playoff berth in Pool B of the 2012 DLX/Gualo Rai Invitational Basketball League after beating Church 360, 108-91, in a make-up game last Thursday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

QQ ended the regular season with a 5-3 record, tying Freestyl, LD Prime, and Gualo Rai for the No. 2 to No. 4 spots in the team standings in Pool B. Gualo Rai went on to win the tiebreak and the second playoff seat, as it defeated all three squads, while LD Prime took the third spot with its 156 points (based on quotient system) and joined top finisher Anjie's Boys (7-1) in the next round. QQ and Freestyl earned 135 points apiece and were scheduled to square off for the last playoff ticket last night.

Mike Bondoc and Elgene Mangali led QQ's victory, scoring 22 points each. Kermit Concepcion and Chris Lansang chipped in 16 and 13, respectively, while Arthur Montes added 10 for QQ's balance scoring.

QQ controlled the game from the opening tip, taking a 29-21 advantage and pulled away in the second period.

Mangali hit back-to-back triples in the opening canto and he and Bondoc finished the first period with 10 points each. The duo continued to anchor QQ's offense in the second canto and their teammates also contributed in the second half en route to a 17-point victory.

Blue Haus 70, Playboy 65

In the second make-up game, Blue Haus kept its playoff hopes alive after downing Playboy.

Blue Haus improved to a 4-3 record and a win against MBI (4-3) last night would have advanced the former to the playoffs, joining the company of Brgy. San Antonio (7-1), Zhaila's All Starz (6-2), and defending champion KFC/Taco Bell.

Playboy dropped to a 4-4 record and is out of contention.

Blue Haus played steady in all four quarters, foiling Playboy's repeated comeback bids. Playboy threatened Blue Haus in the second period, moving within a deuce, 31-33, before Leo Itaas made 6 of his 8 points in the third to up the lead to 4, 55-51.

Joseph Galulu then took over from Itaas in the fourth canto, nailing 8 of Blue Haus' last 12 points.

First Game

QQ Rent A Car 108 - Bondoc 22, Mangali 22, Concepcion 16, Lansang 13, Montes 10, Tuwon 4, Sison 3.

Church 360 91 - Chavez 15, Basa 14, Buenabajo 14, Diaz 14, M. Puno 12, N. Puno 11, Buniag 8.

Scoring by quarters: 29-21, 60-44, 80-70, 108-91.

Second Game

Blue Haus 70 - Galulu 14, Capalad 13, Fernandez 11, Itaas 9, Camacho 7, Olivos 6, Siriban 2.

Playboy 65 - Macahito 23, Isip 18, Mejia 10, Manangan 7, Gonzales 6.

Scoring by quarters: 17-10, 33-31, 55-51, 70-65.