DCCA, DPS I advance after toppling foes

John Reyes bailed out Department of Community and Cultural Affairs with crucial back-to-back triples in the fourth to help his team pull away from a fighting Office of Public Auditor team, 94-86, in the continuation of the 2004 Government Basketball League playoffs Wednesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Reyes, who is more known for his exploits on the diamond field than on the basketball court, erased a one-point OPA lead when he hit his first triple of the game, making it 79-77 with 5:35 left in the ballgame.

Following an exchange of turnovers by the two teams, the high-leaping guard took a pass from playmaker Elias Rangamar and drilled another bomb from beyond the arc, giving DCCA an 82-77 lead, one they would not relinquish until final the horn.

It was a shooting display the No. 3 seed just needed, as they were struggling to make shots in the payoff period in the face of a searing rally by OPA, the 10th seed.

DCCA struggled in the first quarter but still managed to take a 21-16 lead against OPA, behind the eight points of floor leader Rangamar.

OPA gave DCCA a stiff challenge in the second, drawing points from just about everyone, as they didn’t let DCCA get a big lead on them, down by just six points, 37-43, at the break.

Rangamar and slugger-turned-cager Joey Dela Cruz then began to feel it from the land of last resort, firing two triples each to help DCCA get more breathing room, ahead by eight points, 71-63, going into the final quarter.

DCCA, however, hit a wall at the start of the fourth. It also didn’t help that OPA’s power-playing Oscar Sablan finally figured out that nobody from the opposing team could really stop him down low.

Sablan muscled his way in the paint, and with help from an on-target Taula Peter, whittled down DCCA’s lead.

OPA would eventually overtake DCCA in the 6:49 mark of the ballgame, when Sablan bulldozed his way for an old-fashioned 3-point play to give his team a 75-73 advantage.

Dela Cruz would answer in similar fashion in a fastbreak play on the other end to retake the lead, but Sablan converted on an alley-oop basket to give OPA back the driver’s seat.

But that didn’t take too long either, as Reyes came to the rescue with those clutch triples, which eventually allowed DCCA to move on and eliminate OPA.

Reyes top-scored for DCCA with 24 points, while Rangamar and Dela Cruz added 20 and 17, respectively.

Peter was on fire the entire game for OPA and pace them with 28, while Sablan finished with 20.

In the second game, league leading scorer Elias Saralu erupted for 11 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter to lead Department of Public Safety I to a come-from-behind 84-63 win over Commonwealth Health Center.

CHC, the ninth seed, gave DPS I a lot of fits with its stratospheric frontline—made up of Richard “Doc” Brostrom, Tony Raho, and Joe Tudela—and appeared ready to bring down the upset axe on the fourth seeds, leading 49-41 with four minutes to go in the third quarter.

But DPS I made a 10-2 run to end the canto, highlighted by a tough reverse and a buzzer-beating triple by Saralu to forge a 51-all tie at the end of three quarters of play.

Saralu then simply went berserk in the final 10 minutes, scoring on patented bicycle shots and pull-up jumpers over the outstretched hands of Brostrom and Tudela to give DPS I a 65-55 lead with 4:44 left in the contest.

CHC had one last gasp left in them when Tom Diaz and Brostrom hit 3-pointers in a span of 17 seconds to allow CHC to pull within 61-67 of DPS I’s lead, but Saralu and company went on a crippling 17-2 run to put the final count beyond doubt.

Whippet-quick guard Joe Ito and sharpshooter Alfred Celes backed up Saralu with 16 and 14 points, respectively. Tudela and pint-sized point guard Ken Kalen led CHC with 15 and 13 markers.

The government league resumes tonight with pennant winner Public School System taking on winless Saipan Mayor’s Office in the 6:30pm first game. The 8pm second game then features Tinian against Procurement and Supply.

First Game

DCCA 94 – Reyes 24, Rangamar 20, Dela Cruz 17, Iginoef 11, Peliseman 11, Tudela 4, Sablan 3, Camacho 3, Dikito 1.

OPA 86 – Peter 28, Sablan 20, C. Camacho 11, Torres 9, Torres 7, D. Camacho 4, Atalig 3, Pangelinan 2, Dela Cruz 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-16, 43-37, 71-63, 94-86.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Noel Delos Santos.

Second Game

DPS I 84 – Saralu 35, Ito 16, Celes 14, Taitano 8, Kaipat 6, Santos 5.

CHC 63 – Tudela 15, Kalen 13, Brostrom 11, Raho 8, Diaz 8, Duenas 3, Steidler 3, Rabauliman 2.

Scoring by quarters: 17-13, -32-32, 51-51, 84-63.

Referees: Mike White and Dado Vistal.