Diamond Auto notches first win

Diamond Auto Care withstood Ol’Aces’ fourth quarter rally to nail an 83-72 win in the 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Elmer Esdrelon’s consecutive baskets helped the Auto Fixers foil Ol’Aces’ comeback bid in the payoff period, giving Diamond its first win in five games.

Down by 15 at the end of the third period, 49-64, Freddie Pelisamen sparked an Ol’Aces 12-2 scoring run in the fourth period. He completed a 3-point play to move Ol’Aces within four, 62-66, with less than five minutes left in the game.

But Esdrelon widened the gap with his back-to-back triples and a fastbreak jumper, 74-62, going into the last three minutes of the fourth period.

Ol’Aces refused to give up with Pelisamen and Romeo Iginoef scoring in spurts and threatened Diamond anew. The duo led Ol’Aces’ 10-3 salvo, cutting the lead to five, 72-77, with 1:13 remaining on the clock.

In Diamond’s next offensive play, Pando Muleta saved the Auto Fixers from getting caught with a 24-second shot clock violation, when he converted a triple from the right baseline over the outstretched arms of Ol’Aces’ Derrick Tudela, with two seconds left on the shot clock.

Muleta’s 3-pointer increased Diamond’s lead to eight, 80-73, with less than a minute remaining in the game.

Ol’Aces failed to make a bucket in their last three attempts, while Diamond sealed the win from the 15-foot line, canning three charities.

Ol’Aces absorbed their second loss in six matches after missing several key players in Friday’s game.

Ol’Aces were without Jack Lizama, Taj Van Buren, Peter Camacho, and Elias Rangamar, but they managed to take the lead in the first quarter, 20-15.

Diamond grabbed the driver’s seat at halftime, 39-36, with Muleta and Esdrelon drilling a triple apiece, and Bruce Berline nailing several baskets underneath.

The Auto Fixers padded the lead in the third quarter, as Esdrelon and Muleta continued to hit their outside shots, while Ol’Aces slowed down on offense, making only 13 points in that canto.

Ol’Aces tried to recover in the fourth, but timely baskets from Esdrelon and Muleta prevented them from stealing the win.

Diamond Auto Care 83 – Esdrelon 26, Muleta 17, Berline 14, Talania 8, Peredo 6, Guiab 6, Brostrom 4, Dayrit 2.

Ol’Aces 72 – Pelisamen 29, Renguul 13, Iginoeg 11, White 7, Omar 6, Tudela 4, Olaitiman 2.

Scoring by quarters: 15-20, 39-36, 64-49, 83-72.