Angels Wings staves off Jollibee

Angel Wings barely kept their perfect record intact in the 2004 Inter-Restaurant Basketball League after scrambling to a 100-91 overtime victory against Jollibee past midnight Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Ahead by a bucket, 88-86, with the precious seconds ticking away, Angel Wings guard Nonie Eugenio fumbled the ball near the sideline that led to a steal and a layup by Jollibee’s Edwil Reyes.

But Angel Wings players were not about to let their 4-0 start out the window, as center Owen Parayno and whippet-quick guard Butch Sublemente soon proved in the overtime.

The 6’0” Parayno, who showed up for the game with a Dennis Rodmanesque do, scored 4 points and Sublemente added 5 in the five-minute extension to lift Angel Wings to the 9-point victory.

It didn’t appear, however, that Angel Wings would notch the victory especially early on when Jollibee opened the game with a 6-0 run led by Bryan Lontoc and eventually took the first quarter 16-10.

The Stingers were still all over an overconfident Angel Wings team in the second quarter before settling to a 35-30 advantage at intermission.

But Parayno and Eugenio would spark a searing comeback by Angel Wings in the third that allowed the season’s only undefeated team to take the driver’s seat, 57-45, with only 10 minutes to go in the contest.

Angel Wings confidently reentered the court in the fourth quarter but Jollibee soon gave them a dose of their own medicine going on a game-ending run capped by Reyes’ bucket in the final seconds.

Parayno was a tower of strength for Angel Wings, finishing with 29 points and 12 rebounds. Sublemente also played exceptionally well subbing for starting point guard Marlon Pineda. He wound up with 25 points, 6 boards, 2 assists and the same number of steals.

The 19 markers of Reyes paced five Jollibee players in double figures. He also hauled down 8 boards in the loss.

Donnel Isip won the 3-point shootout at halftme, 7-1, against Richard Tan of Angel Wings.

On Friday, El Segundo won the battle of cellar dwellers after edging LSG Sky Chefs, 59-55, also at the Ada Gym.

El Segundo forward Ramsa Tenepere scored 16 points in the win, while Melvin Seman was the highpoint man for the airline caterers with 10. In the halftime 3-point shootout, El Segundo’s Ariel Abadilla scored 5 points to beat LSG’s Norman Redor.

Friday Game

El Segundo 59 – Tenepere 16, De Vera 15, Mesina 11, Abadilla 8, Patricio 4, Drilon 3, Dejaresco 2, Cruz 2.

LSG Sky Chefs 55 – M. Seman 13, Sangalang 9, Yalung 8, Lauron 7, Ocampo 6, K. Seman 4, Del Rosario 4, Juacalla 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-10, 30-22, 40-40, 59-54.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Jake Villanueva.

Saturday Game

Angel Wings 100 – Parayno 29, Sublemente 25, Eugenio 12, Tan 10, Yambao 10, Guiang 9, Vertudez 4.

Jollibee 91 – Reyes 19, Dulog 11, Reolope 11, Isip 11, Lontoc 10, Luna 8, Santos 8, Marcelo 6, Cruz 3, Dela Masa 2.

Scoring by quarters: 10-16, 35-30, 57-45, 88-88, 100-91 (OT).

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Jojo Molar.