Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Monday, March 04, 2013

Adobo remains undefeated in DLX caging

Seven and still counting.

Adobo notched two wins over the weekend to stay perfect in Division B of the 2013 DLX/Anchor Strong Invitational.

Adobo first dominated the Sexy Boys, 85-72, last Friday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court and then rallied past Maplas La Mani last Saturday, 50-48, to move two victories away from sweeping the regular season.

Against Maplas, Adobo came back from a four-point deficit in the last one minute of the match to steal the win. Thanks to Lester Vertudez, who scored the last 6 points for Adobo and made a big defensive stop in the homestretch.

Adobo grabbed the lead when it prevailed in a scramble for the loose ball and Vertudez was fed for a fastbreak layup with less than 20 seconds left on the clock. Vertudez then played tough defense on the other end, blocking Ryan Odicta's attemp, picking up another loose ball, and dribbling out the time to their frontcourt to secure the victory.

Vertudez finished with a game-high 22 points and was the lone-double figure scorer for Adobo.

Dennis Morales had 14 for Maplas (4-3), which absorbed back-to-back sorry losses after winning four straight. Ryan Odicta and Gerald Anicieto added 10 for Maplas, which played without Rommel and Mico Usi and the injured Dennis Cortez.

Meanwhile, in Adobo's win last Friday, the division leader did not have to play catch-up, as it had the game in the bag as early as the third period.

Adobo was only ahead by five at halftime, 38-35, when it outgunned the Sexy Boys in the third canto, 23-9, to build a commanding 61-42 advantage. Vertudez, James Dela Cruz, and Kristian Alegre scored 6 points apiece in the breakaway with the latter canning back-to-back triples in the closing minutes of the third to break the Sexy Boys' back.

The Sexy Boys never made headway in the fourth, as it just traded baskets with Adobo and the former went on to taste its second straight defeat a 5-0 start.

Dela Cruz led Adobo's win over the Sexy Boys with his 20 points, while Vertudez contributed 14. Herbert Maranan and John Larot had 23 and 22 markers for the Sexy Boys, respectively.

FRIDAY

Adobo 85 - Dela Cruz 20, Vertudez 14, Saturno 9, Alegre 8, Mamaril 7, Aranda 6, Yap 5, Tadifa 4, Camacho 3.

Sexy Boys 72 - Maranan 23, Larot 22, Tinio 12, Santos 4, Sablan 3, Tumbaga 3, R. Deleon Guerrero 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-12, 38-33, 61-42, 85-72.

SATURDAY

Adobo 50 - Vertudez 22, Saturno 6, Dela Cruz 6, Tadifa 4, Alegre 2, Aranda 2, Yap 1.

Maplas La Mani 48 - Morales 14, Odicta 10, Aniciete 10, Flores 6, Surla 4.

Scoring by quarters: 9-8, 22-14, 33-33, 50-48.