Joeten wins 2, MarPac still undefeated

Joeten won two games in a row, while MarPac is still the pack leaders in the Inaugural R&J Wine & Liquor Inter-Gov’t/Business League 2023 played at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Joeten’s most recent win was a blowout against CHCC, last Saturday, 117-81, and also won in a blowout game versus CPA, 102-84, last Thursday, for a 4-1 record.

A younger and more agile Joeten cagers had CHCC stumped as they zoomed to-and-fro the court at break-neck speed. It wasn’t a fair fight with Joeten’s starting five firing at all cylinders while CHCC rolled on a two-wheel instead of an all-wheel drive.

CHCC’s D.J. Ong tried to compensate for the team’s lack of vigor, providing cover and defense from all angles he could muster. However, he was still no match for Joeten’s leading scorer, Ervin Villarin, along with Jose Torres and Yugie Cruz.

By the end of the first quarter, CHCC was down in the dumps, 26-15. By the third quarter, they were in no-man’s land with a big jump by Joeten, 90-59.

Ong handled the ball himself toward the end and collected 32 markers, followed by Jack Lizama’s 12, and James Phillips’ 10. Joeten, on the other hand, exceeded the 100-point mark with 23 points from Villarin, 16 markers by Torres, 12 from Cruz, 11 points by Alex Lauron, and 10 by Rafael Ordona.

With MarPac’s 75-68 win against Office of the Governor, they are now at a perfect 6-0 record.

Both teams came at the ready as they were evenly matched throughout the game. MarPac relied on their starting five, while Office of the Governor threw the whole kitchen sink at them.

There was a changing of the guard in the second quarter as Marpac took the lead from Office of the Governor, 40-34. As Office of the Governor led at the end of the first quarter from free throws and opportunities from within the paint, MarPac did the same and more heading into the third quarter.

It was still anybody’s game at the end of the third quarter with a narrow 58-55 lead by MarPac. But, with great ballhandling and accurate shots from downtown and fast-break plays, MarPac’s Big 3—Coby Santos, Jeff Castro, and Greg Sablan—established control.

In the end, with Santos’ game-high 28 markers, along with Sablan’s 23 points, and Castro’s 18, they managed to lay waste Office of the Governor’s efforts and came away unscathed.

SATURDAY

Joeten 117 – Villarin 23, Torres 16, Y. Cruz 12, Lauron 11, Ordona 10, Manansala 9, Quan 9, Rotap 8, They 6, Sambile 5, Tobias 4, J. Cruz 4.

CHCC 81 – Ong 32, Lizama 12, Phillip 10, Omampo 6, Lisua 6, Castro 5, Ogumoro-Uludong 4, Nunez 4, Yorofalir 2.

Scoring by quarters: 26-15, 59-32, 90-59, 117-81.

THURSDAY

MarPac 75 – Santos 28, G. Sablan 23, Castro 18, Lee 5, H. Sablan 1.

Office of the Governor 68 – Flores 19, Camacho 12, Aranda 9, Kwon 8, Galarse 7, Bahillo 6, T. Pangelinan 4, Diaz 2, Taisague 1.

Scoring by quarters: 15-18, 40-34, 58-55, 75-68.