Cabalen, Jollibee end elims in high note

Cabalen and Jollibee boosted their respective playoff positions with victories in the final elimination round games of the Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense Basketbal League last Sunday at the CMS Court.

In the first game, Cabalen secured the No. 2 slot in the second round with a 72-66 triumph against tournament tailender SMF-Shell.

The Kapampangans had a sluggish start and trailed by 6 points, 10-16, at the end of the opening quarter. They would however seize the initiative in the second canto and hang on to a solitary point lead at the break, 34-33.

Cabalen guard-forward Randy Arnedo would spew fire on the hard court at the start of the third quarter and help his team to a more comfortable 53-47 advantage going into the last 10 minutes of the contest.

But Shell would prove to be one tough customer and didn’t allow Cabalen to breakaway. With Giovanni Pardinan in the firing end, the squad shadowed Cabalen all throughout the fourth period and only yielded the game with crucial errors in the endgame.

Frontcourt players Jun Alipio and Gary Rapanut went on to pace Cabalen with 14 points each. Shell’s Pardinan was good for 31 points in a losing cause.

Cabalen will now face CMS-Negros in the second round, while Shell has the unenviable task of playing pennant champion Visminda.

In the second game, Jollibee made it two straight wins after demolishing CMS-Negros to the tune of 93-76.

Playing without beefy center Tim Paez, Negros was clobbered under the boards as the taller and speedier Jollibee players went to town at the start of the third quarter.

After a 48-42 game at halftime, the fast food kings went on a run at the start of the third quarter and never looked back.

Guard Jeruel Zamora was at the forefront of the Jollibee attack as he torched the nets with 10 of his game high 22 points in the canto. And at the end of the third, Jollibee was on top, 75-58, and coasted the rest of the ballgame.

Bogs Dayrit and Jorge De Guzman backed up Zamora with 16 points each. The 18 points of sweet-shooting forward Randy Arconado, on the other hand, led Negros.

The win gave Jollibee fifth place at the end of first round and will battle No. 4 Bicol in the playoffs.

First Game

Cabalen-Servicestar 72 – Rapanut 14, Alipio 14, Barbo 11, Gatdula 10, Arnedo 10, Garcia 8, Pabustan 5.

SMF-Shell 65 – Pardinan 31, Abuy 17, Canedo 6, Delfin 4, Huyo-a 4, Villasan 1.

Second Game

Jollibee 93 – Zamora 22, Dayrit 16, De Guzman 16, Delos Reyes 12, L. Itaas 9, R. Itaas 6, Tabora 4, Tamondong 4, De Vera 4.

CMS Negros 76 – Arconado 18, Martin 16, Ortega 16, Galag 11, Catayong 6, Salazar 3, Grajo 2, Sublemente 2.