Tax Pro, Premier Builders notch wins in Legends hoops

Tax Pro/Triple L and Premier Builders notched wins in the Legends Sports Association Invitational Basketball League Season 2 last March 24 at the Gillette Multi-Purpose Gymnasium in Gualo Rai.

Tax Pro held on to their third place seeding in Bracket B as they won their fourth game in the league after trouncing Stag, 98-63.

Tax Pro remained fresh throughout and continued to hold on to double-digit leads heading into the second half. The first half saw a dominant performance by Tax Pro from the 3-point line, which ballooned their ever-growing lead.

Brian Natividad held it down from 3-point territory with back-to-back baskets, followed by another three as Lionelle Ibe made field goals in between. Natividad didn’t stop there and made for the 3-point line again and immediately after, Sonny Lerio mirrored him twice from downtown.

The first half ended with another 3-pointer from Manny Embile, and the second half started with yet again another splash from downtown by Natividad.

It seemed like Stag couldn’t get a basket in as Tax Pro wrote them off with aggressiveness and ferocity both from the outside and within the perimeter. Stag wore down not even close to the end as Tax Pro held on to their double-digit lead until the game clock reached zero.

Natividad was Tax Pro’s top scorer with 18 points, followed by twin 17 points by Sonny Lerio and Frank Ferrer.

In the first game of the night, Premier Builders edged Live 2 Live, 64-54, for their fourth win.

The first half saw a steady flow of baskets made by the Builders and by the end of it, had a double-digit 40-23 lead thanks to back-to-back threes from Erwin Lumanlan, Richard Peredo, Jomari Dela Cruz, and Arwin Reyes.

While the bullseye was set for the Builders, Live 2 Live fought their way through the first half but were stagnant in most of it. The second half saw a much better performance for Live 2 Live, but they still came up short despite closing within 10 points from a 17-point deficit.

Jomari Dela Cruz led Premier Builders with 13 points, while John Yanto scored 12, and John Mejarito put up 10.

In Bracket A standings, Choju is still undefeated with six wins; Unity Trade and Premier Builders are at 4-2; Yuman is at an even 3-3; Best Deal and Bourbon Bar & Cafe are at 2-3 each; Savemore is at 1-4; and Live 2 Live has no wins and five losses.

KagBros and TanHoldings are deadlocked with a 5-1 record atop Bracket B standings; Tax Pro/Triple L is at 4-2; Elite Force is at 2-3; Longshot has a 2-3 record; Lamesa Kusina is at 2-4; Stag has won one out of five; and Napa Auto Parts are last with no wins and five losses.

First Game

Premier Builders 64 – Dela Cruz 13, Yanto 12, Mejarito 10, Peredo 8, Villocero 7, Directo 4, Castillo 4, Lumanlan 3, Reyes 3.

Live 2 Live 54 – J. Santos 13, Jones 9, F. Santos 8, Esteves 6, Masaharu 6, Hocog 4, Iguel 2.

Scoring by halves: 40-23, 64-54.

Second Game

Tax Pro/ Triple L 98 – Natividad 18, Lerio 17, Ferrer 17, Rizo 13, Ibe 8, Pineda 6, Usi 5, Embile 5, De Belen 5, Vismanos 2, De Belen 2.

Stag 63 – Lumen 22, De Guzman 14, Marchedesch 6, Casaba 5, Bravo 2, Polido 12, Larioza 2

Scoring by halves: 54-39, 98-63.