Rugged game ends in Country House’s favor

Inter-Restaurant Basketball League action between Country House and Jollibee Stingers held early yesterday morning at the Garapan court resembled a back-alley brawl more than an actual basketball game.

With four players thrown out and plenty of more technical fouls and warnings whistled on the two teams, it was a miracle that the game finished at all.

Bedlam broke lose near the end of the third quarter when Jollibee’s John Cruz fouled Country House main man Banjo Basila at the backcourt.

The veteran swingman didn’t like the chop on his chin and stared down the Stingers’ rugged forward. Players from both sides interpreted the altercation as the signal to enter the court and some four minutes of more posturing and shouting invectives at each other ensued.

When sanity finally was restored Basila and Cruz were banished off the floor never to play a second more in the game.

Without their heart and soul, Country House appeared finished but with a 51-37 edge going into the fourth, it was still up to Jollibee to exploit the loss of Basila.

Sure enough Country House crumbled like a house of cards at the start of the fourth. A 13-0 run by the Stingers reduced Country House’s lead to a point but then little-known Marlon Cruzat started hitting big shots.

Along the way, two other key players from both teams were ejected. Edward Vega of Country House and Edwil Reyes of Jollibee had an exchange of unflattering words after they got entangled in a loose ball play, which again led to a bench-clearing situation. Both teams eventually played on.

And then with less than two minutes left in the clock, Cruzat would play the hero’s role. He would hit one of two free throws to first stem Jollibee’s fourth-quarter run. After an exchange of fruitless possessions, Cruzat would then find the net on a mid-range jumper to make 54-51.

A couple of more blown offensive thrusts by Jollibee worked on Country House’s favor and Cruzat would fittingly put the game beyond reach with another nonchalant jumper from the exact spot.

Jollibee’s Ding Luna put the night scoring to an end when his layup made it 56-52 for Country House.

Cruzat scored all five of his points inside the last four minutes of the ballgame. Before hitting the pine, Basila filled the stat sheet with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and the same number of steals.

Ronnel Gamboa paced Jollibee’s losing cause with 15 points, 9 coming in the fourth quarter alone. In the 3-point shootout during halftime, Basila beat Reyes, 5-0.

On Sunday, Angel Wings pulled off a giant upset or preseason favorite Capricciosa, 63-54.

The 18 points of Owen Parayno led Angel Wings, while former national player Gyles Ruluked didn’t disappoint firing 18 points for Capricciosa.

Yesterday’s Game

Country House 56 – Basila 19, Dayrit 9, Vega 8, Lopez 6, Cruzat 5, Villanueva 4, San Gabriel 3.

Jollibee 52 – Gamboa 15, Reyes 8, Ajoste 8, Cruz 4, Isip 4, Santos 4, Luna 3, Reolope 2, Marcelo 2, Dela Masa 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-12, 35-24, 51-37, 56-52.

Sunday’s Game

Angel Wings 63 – Parayno 18, Eugenio 12, Yambao 9, Sublemente 7, Tan 6, Pineda 5, Mempin 4, Guiang 2, Toriente 2.

Capricciosa 54 – Ruluked 18, Arriola 12, Agbanlog 7, Arconado 6, Camacho 3, Armas 2, Sundian 2, Suda 2.

Scoring by quarters: 10-17, 30-30, 45-50, 63-54.