Ol’Aces beat Docomo as Budweiser caging starts

The Ol’Aces I won the opening game in the 2008-2009 BANMI-Budweiser Cup Men’s Islandwide Basketball League, slipping past the Docomo Hoopaholics, 81-76, Thursday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

After keeping pace with the Ol’Aces in the first three quarters and midway in the fourth period, Docomo collapsed in the last four minutes of the match to lose the game.

The match was last tied at 73-all, after Elias Rangamar canned his third triple of the night, with 4:01 left on the clock.

The Ol’Aces then had an 8-3 windup scrambling for defense in the closing minutes forcing the Hoopaholics to commit errors and take hurried shots.

Rangamar picked Lee’s pocket with the latter attempting to drive inside. Freddie Pelisamen went on to make a fastbreak layup off Rangamar’s steal and pitch to put the Ol’Aces in the lead, 75-73.

Both teams traded misses until the Ol’Aces showed a good hustle play with Mike Olaitiman saving the ball from going out off the baseline and kicking it back to Pelisamen to the left sideline.

Pelisamen then saw Gabriel White cutting off from the right wing, made the pass with the former receiving it, pulling up for a shot and drawing a foul from Mark Wallace.

White failed to complete the 3-point play, but drilled back-to-back baskets when after another Hoopaholics’ miscue, the former CNMI National player converted a fastbreak layup.

Going into the last two minutes of the game, the Ol’Aces went ahead by six, 79-73.

Neither team made a bucket for about a minute with the Hoopaholics missing three attempts from beyond the arc. Kelvin Fitial had a chance to move Docomo within four when he drove to the basket and was fouled, but he missed both charities.

Wallace grabbed the offensive rebound, pulled up for an undergoal stab and missed. Fitial collared the rebound and muffed his inside shot, too. He got his own miss, but lost the ball to the baseline on his way for another undergoal stab, with 42 seconds left in the fourth.

Docomo had another chance to cut the lead when the Ol’Aces was called for an eight-second violation from the backcourt. But Ryan Sanciangco instead of firing a triple after getting a good look at the basket from the right key opted to pass the ball to Wallace.

Pelisamen reached in and successfully stole the ball paving the way for another fastbreak layup for the Ol’Aces.

Fitial ended Docomo’s silence with a triple, but the Ol’Aces still led by five, 81-76, with only 12 seconds left in the game.