Socho 1 defeats Home Smart in Eagles caging, 61-56

Socho 1 defeated Home Smart, 61-56, in the last minutes of their game in the Inaugural SMEC-SMLEC Invitational Basketball Tournament 2023 Monday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

The open division A teams took to the court for the first game of the night and finished up with nail-biting action. Both teams were close as they took turns scoring in the last five minutes of the fourth quarter, and it was too close to tell who would take the victory.

But with less than five minutes left, Socho 1 pulled away when Dom Faisao sank in two clutch field goals to break the 56-56 tie after their team fouled Home Smart three times in a row.

Home Smart could not answer back and with a final free throw by Socho 1’s Russ Hocog, time ran out and they lost by just five points.

Home Smart’s Ronald Rueda tried to give his team a boost early on with his three 3-pointers and aggressive plays within the paint that put him in positions to be fouled, but to no avail as his teammates were not so accurate themselves. 

No one else in Home Smart made it to double digits, while Socho 1 had a more balanced output. Freddie Guerrero had 16 markers, while Timmy Pangelinan and Derek Olopai scored 11 each.

In Game 2 of open division B, Bridge Capital was the first victim of Vik Team as they lost in a blowout, 53-95.

From the get-go, Vik Team showed more oomph as they flew through the first quarter, 25-19, with the help of two 3-pointers from Web Gontar. Vik Team still had the upper hand in the second quarter as Vik Team continued to make their shots from perfect passes to each other. 

Vik Team was up by 9 points heading into the third quarter and that was when their offense exploded. The speedy Joseph Torres put up 8 points in the third quarter alone, racked up a total of 14 points, and helped Vik Team to a 27-point lead at the end of the quarter. 

After only a lackluster 7 points made by Bridge Capital, it was lights out for them even before the end of the game as Vik Team saddled onto their high horse and giddy-upped their way to the win, 95-53.

First Game

Socho 1 61 – Guerrero 16, Pangelinan 11, Olopai 11, Hocog 6, D. Faisao 6, Q. Faisao 4, Philip 4, Babauta 3.

Home Smart 56 – Rueda 20, Tagle 7, Dionicio 7, Ramos 7, Rizardo 6, Mortos 2, Bungabong 2, Palima 2, Castro 1.

Scoring by quarters: 19-13, 36-30, 47-42, 61-56.

Second Game

Vik Team 95 – S. Devero 19, Torres 14, Nicodemus 13, Montes 10, Apasan 10, De Dios 7, Gontar 6, Vicedo 6, Bathan 6, Reyes 2, Castro 1, Cruz 1.

Bridge Capital 53 – R. Bernardo 13, David 11, Capalad 7, Aparte 5, Doca 5, Lilies 4, Hipolito 4, Ramos 2, Melendrez 2.

Scoring by quarters: 25-19, 40-31, 65-38, 95-53.