Saipan Tribune

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Konflikt beats IT&E in Masters caging

Konflikt edged ITE, 92-87, in 35A curtain raiser in the 2012 Masters Basketball Federation of the NMI Recreational League last week at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Konflikt canned five free throws in the homestretch to prevail in the back and forth game played last Oct. 15. Edwin Santos and Jun Tabora made two charities each, while Noli Arteza had a split to thwart IT&E.

Tabora and IT&E's Bruce Berline slugged it out in the opening canto with the former winning the scoring exchange, 8-7, to lift Konflikt to a 17-15 cushion.

The opposing teams continued battling at a rapid pace through the second quarter, as Berline fired 10 more points, while Tabora answered with 9 and drew a pair of three-balls from Robert Tamondong to keep Konflikt on top at halftime, 44-39.

The sides picked up right where they left off after the break, as IT&E made it a one-point game, 67-68, heading into the final period. Tony Diaz teamed up with Ray Lizama and Peter Camacho in the third and scored 9 markers, while Elmer Esdrelon struck thrice from downtown for a 13-point gash in the third quarter to help Konflikt weather IT&E's storm.

IT&E fought to the end, but could not put together a defensive stand, while Konflikt inched away by staying true from the foul line in the clutch.

Tabora led all scorers with his 25 points, while Esdrelon added 22. Berline led IT&E with his 20 markers, while Diaz chipped in 19.

In the second match, Hi-Five stepped it up in the fourth quarter to beat Mobil/QQ Rent A Car, 88-83.

Jun Abedes and Erwin Gomez each logged eight points in the first period, as Mobil/QQ initiated a 24-15 favor.

High-Five tightened up on defense and managed to slow down its opponents in the second quarter to move within four at intermission, 33-37. Banjo Basila, Pando Muleta, Ponce Rasa, and Tim Wesley nabbed a pair of baskets each in the second-quarter surge.

Both teams made some tidy adjustments at halftime and went back and forth in the third quarter with QQ gaining some cushion, 67-62, behind the 12 points of Jun Pantaleon. However, High-Five went into overdrive in the closing frame to steal the lead, as Basila saved fuel for the late push and delivered 13 markers in the payoff period. Basila's 25 points led four teammates in double figures, while Pantaleon and Abedes wielded the brunt of the damage for Mobil/QQ with 20 and 19 markers, respectively.

First Game

Konflikt 92 - Tabora 25, Esdrelon 21, Santos 17, Tamondong 11, Yalung 6, Trajano 5, Patawaran 4, Areza 1

IT&E 87 - Berline 20, Diaz 19, Camacho 15, F Palacios 13, Lizama 11, G. Palacios 8

Scoring by quarters: 15-17, 44-39, 68-67, 92-87

Second Game

High Five 88 - Basila 25, Wesley 15, Rasa 14, Muleta 12, F. Pangelinan 12, Acosta 5, Aaron 3, Matagolai 2.

Mobil/QQ Rent A Car 83 - Pantaleon 21, Abedes 20, Moises 11, Mendiola 9, Gomez 8, Deocares 6, Loste 4, Tenorio 1.

Scoring by quarters: 15-24, 33-37, 62-67, 88-83.