Diaz, Rasa lead teams to lopsided wins

Former national players Ed Diaz of DPS No Zone and Steve Rasa of Department of Labor both topped the 40-point plateau in leading their teams to victory in the continuation of the 2006 Inter-Government Basketball League Thursday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Diaz scattered 42 points in No Zone’s 102-88 romp of Commonwealth Health Center in the first game.

The do-it-all swingman went to work early and accounted for 12 points in the first quarter, which helped No Zone to a one-point lead, 29-28,

Diaz bettered his first-quarter production by a bucket in the second, as DPS began to put some distance between them and CHC and entered the halftime break with an eight-point spread, 54-46.

No Zone continued to dominate the much taller CHC team at the start of the second half. However, unlike the first two quarters, they did so with only a little help from Diaz, who slowed down a bit and scored “only” nine points.

DPS showed it was more than a one-man team and got five points from lead guard John Sablan and three more from center Ned Norita, as they headed into the fourth and final quarter still on top, 77-66.

Diaz played mostly decoy in the final 10 minutes and preferred to sit back as Sablan took over the scoring chores for DPS.

The former Sixers star exploded for 10 points in the fourth, as No Zone surged ahead and tied their victims in the team standings with a 6-3 record—good enough for second place.

Sablan wound up with 26 points to support Diaz, while center Tony Raho and power forward Tom Tudela led CHC with 23 and 16 points, respectively.

Unlike Diaz who was like a house on fire early, Rasa didn’t get going until the middle quarters in Labor’s 113-54 mauling of Customs in the second game.

Rasa scored a mere three points in the opening period, which DOL took 24-17.

The bull-strong forward, however, came back strong in the second firing 20 points, which included a string of 12 straight, to give his team an insurmountable 52-22 lead at lemontime.

Rasa followed up his sparkling offensive show in the second quarter with another dazzling display of scoring prowess in the third, as he lit up the Inspectors for 14 more points, which enabled DOL to cruise to an 83-38 advantage going into the payoff period.

With the game beyond doubt, Rasa saved his energy and added just four more points in the fourth, as he let his teammates do mop-up duty.

Ray Mostales and Tim Wesley backstopped Rasa with 19 and 16 points, respectively, as Labor notched its fifth win in seven games. The 0-9 Inspectors, on the other hand, were paced by the 17 points of Ray Lizama.

First Game

DPS No Zone 102 – E. Diaz 42, J. Sablan 26, Hocog 9, Norita 9, Ayuyu 6, Palacios 5, Stole 5.

CHC 88 – Raho 23, Tudela 16, Kalen 14, Diaz 13, Fernandez 6, Duenas 4, Seidler 2.

Scoring by quarters: 29-28, 54-46, 77-66, 102-88.

Referees: Jess Pacheco and Eric Artillaga.

Second Game

DOLI 113 – Rasa 41, Mostales 19, Wesley 16, Poquiz 12, Sablan 10, Fujihira 10, Aaron 5.

Customs 54 – R. Lizama 17, Pangelinan 8, Reyes 7, Iguel 6, Santos 6, Fejeran 5, D. Lizama 5.

Scoring by quarters: 17-24, 52-22, 83-38, 113-54.

Referees: Dado Vistal and Noel Delos Santos.