National Car Rental beats Brothers

National Car Rental allowed a 25-point first-half lead to slip away but regrouped just in time to turn back erstwhile undefeated Brothers, 104-96, in Monday night’s resumption of the 2005 Budweiser Cup BANMI Men’s Island-wide Basketball League at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

A searing rally by Brothers closed the gap at the start of the fourth quarter and a 3-point play by Dave Sablan gave the Masters Construction-backed team its first taste of the lead at 82-80 with time down to 7:18.

National Car Rental, which is also sponsored by 3’s Construction and Aon Insurance, would retaliate and reclaimed the lead on a free throw by Jorge De Guzman and a pretty finger roll by Jolan Mendoza.

Although, Brothers would retie the count at 85-all on an offensive putback by Ed Diaz, National Car Rental would eventually pull away thanks to the heroics of forward Leo Factor and guard Pando Muleta.

Back-to-back 3-point plays by the speedy Muleta allowed the Tony Sablan-coached team to go up 95-89 at the 3:17 mark, while seven straight points by the power-playing Factor sealed the deal for National Car Rental.

It was a scrambling victory for National Car Rental, as Brothers dug themselves out of a big hole by employing a full-court defense beginning in the second half.

National Car Rental started like a house on fire as 6’3” Marlon De Dios and 6’2” Elbyn Cecilia punished the smaller Brothers players on both sides of the court en route to taking a 25-13 lead after the first quarter.

The team didn’t let up in the second quarter either and tore the game wide open, as nine different players scored at least a basket in National Car Rental’s 29-16 romp in the period that allowed them to rest with a mammoth 54-29 advantage at the break.

The Masters Construction team, however, was not finished by a long shot and a 41-point explosion in the third, led by the 17 points of Tony Diaz, cut National Car Rental’s once-imposing lead to 78-70 with still a full quarter to play.

After a brief flirtation with the lead, however, Brothers wasn’t able to keep up its full-court pressure and eventually succumbed to National Car Rental’s height and heft advantage in the fourth. The loss dropped Brothers to 2-1, while National Car Rental leveled its win-loss card at 1-1.

Cecilia led National Car Rental with 19 points, while Factor, De Dios, Muleta, and Mendoza banged in 12 points or more.

Tony Diaz finished with 34 points to take game-high honors, while brothers Ed Diaz and Tom Diaz chipped in 23 and 14 points, respectively.

In the second game, Nissan Titans survived a spirited challenge by Rep. Norita-Masters and won by the skin of their teeth, 79-76.

Jawn Joyner and Aleric Aguon paced Nissan with 18 and 17 points, while Richard “Doc” Brostrom scored 26 points for Masters. Aleric’s dad, Rufino, also totaled 11 points for the 35-and-over quintet.

First Game

3’s Const-National CR-Aon 104 – Cecilia 19, Factor 18, De Dios 16, Muleta 12, Mendoza 12, Cequena 9, De Guzman 9, Peredo 4, Artates 3, Bicera 2.

Brothers-Masters Const. 96 – Ton. Diaz 34, E. Diaz 23, Tom Diaz 14, Sablan 13, Mendiola 4, Calvo 4, Kalen 4.

Scoring by quarters: 25-13, 54-29, 78-70, 104-96.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Dado Vistal.

Second Game

Nissan Titan 79 – Joyner 18, Aguon 17, Rasa 10, Wesley 9, Fitial 6, Lashley 6, Quitugua 5, Estolas 4, Palacios 2, Peters 2.

Rep. Norita-Masters 76 – Brostrom 26, Punzalan 11, Aguon 11, Warfield 10, Tamondong 7, Raho 4, Berline 3, Muna 2, MacDuff 2.

Scoring by quarters: 17-16, 30-25, 56-53, 79-76.

Referees: Jess Pacheco and Noel Delos Santos.