JCN grabs last playoff spot

JCN Enterprises slammed the door on a highly touted Cavite-Country House team after formalizing its entry to the playoffs of the 2005 MDX Amateur Radio Club Inter-Color Basketball League following a 106-93 win over SMF-Shell-Seabridge Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Seeing action in the second game of the league’s rare Sunday doubleheader and showing no ill affects from its 106-84 win against Micronesian Brokers, Inc. Friday, JCN came storming out of the gates led by young gun Rowell Aranda.

With the reed-thin 5’11” swingman playing center for the vertically challenged squad, JCN was able to employ its run-and-gun game early and often with Aranda usually the beneficiary of the lightning-quick attack.

The Rotary standout was able to run rings around his slower defenders en route to scoring 10 points, as JCN took a 28-20 advantage after the first quarter.

Another 18-and-under player took the controls for JCN in the second quarter with similar success, as former IVYBL MVP Kevin Cequena duplicated his former Sixers teammate’s 10 points in the second.

With JCN running SMF to the ground and Cequena hitting from all angles, the former Mobil team was able to rest with a comfortable 55-43 lead at lemon time.

Aranda reprised his first quarter form in the third quarter to the utter frustration of SMF and knocked in another nine points.

Lefty swingman Melvin Villarin also tormented his former team, as he paired with Aranda to score 16 of the team’s 26 points to help JCN maintain its lead, which stood at 81-69 heading into the payoff period.

JCN made the finishing touches with Aranda and Cequena again in the starring roles. The team’s double-barrel threat fired nine and eight points, respectively, to negate SMF 3-point shooter Gary Cayetano’s fourth quarter explosion.

Cayetano ran amok in the final 10 minutes, scoring 13 of his 20 points, but it all went for naught, as JCN was able to hang on to the 13-point win.

As expected Aranda and Cequena top-billed JCN’s playoff-clinching victory with 30 and 24 points. Playmaker extraordinaire Andres “Jhun” Estolas also had another solid outing and wound up with 14 points, eight assists, and four steals.

Toto Banatasa paced SMF in the loss with 21 points. Cayetano and utility man Ernie Moses also chipped in 20 and 18 markers, respectively.

The win raised JCN’s win-loss record to 4-3, a game ahead of Cavite, which finished the season at 3-4. The team joins early qualifiers Poohdeni (7-0), SIP (5-1), and 287 Club-Verizon (5-2) in the playoffs.

In the first game, 287 Club got 31 points from veteran swingman Randy Arnedo and 19 apiece from center Ronald Delos Reyes and playmaker Jun Sinca, as the team ended its regular season campaign with a 111-93 romp of Micronesian Brokers, Inc.

The loss was the fifth in six games for MBI, which wraps up its season in the league’s final regular season game against SIP next Friday at 6pm.

FIRST GAME

287 Club 111 – Arnedo 31, Delos Reyes 19, Sinca 19, Pambid 13, Pineda 10, Bardo 6, Sampang 6, Gatdula 4, Aguilar 3.

MBI 93 – Mangahis 25, Garcia 15, Cecilia 14, Samson 12, L. Palero 12, Gayo 8, Barja 3, Garon 2, Gayo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 23-26, 54-56, 83-76, 111-93.

Referees: Dado Vistal, Noel Delos Santos, and Manny Sitchon.

SECOND GAME

JCN Enterprises 106 – Aranda 30, Cequena 24, Estolas 14, Palma 10, Villarin 9, Abuy 8, Barrios 6, Artates 4, Capalad 1.

SMF-Shell-Seabridge 93 – Banatasa 21, Cayetano 20, Moises 18, Demigilo 12, Mateo 8, Sison 6, J. Itaas 4, Badilles 4.

Scoring by quarters: 28-20, 55-43, 81-69, 106-93.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Jess Pacheco.