Hoops, Toyota post contrasting wins

Bud Ice-Hoopaholics and Bud Light-Toyota kept pace with each other in the continuation of the 2005 Budweiser Cup BANMI Men’s Island-wide Basketball League after both second-place teams posted contrasting wins at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium Friday night.

Bud Light-Toyota (8-2) outplayed a scrappy Anheuser-8 3’s Const. (4-5) team in the final 10 minutes and won 98-87 in the first game, while Bud Ice-Hoopaholics (8-2) annihilated a lethargic O’Duols-Ol’Aces (4-6) squad 102-60 in the second game.

Still smarting from its loss to sister team Ol’Aces last Monday, Toyota found itself in a whale of a fight against Anheuser and the early score was indicative of the struggle with the defending champions taking the first quarter, 24-22, and Anheuser getting it back, 52-51, at the end of the half.

With bruising center Abong Camacho and high-leaping forward Edsel Mendoza buckling down to work in the third, Toyota was able to get some distance between them and the all-Filipino team and led 76-72 after three full quarters of play.

It was a battle of the behemoths in fourth and final period with the 6’2” Camacho and Anheuser’s 6’3” center Dalewin Cortez engaged in a classic confrontation down low.

After some give-and-take moments, Anheuser was the first team to blink, as Toyota’s championship experience and endgame poise proved too hard to crack, which resulted in the team winning by a spread of nine points.

Camacho led Toyota with 18 points, while Mendoza and Taj Van Buren supported him with 17 points apiece.

Former IVYBL most valuable player Kevin Cequena sparkled all night and erupted for a game-high 31 points. Swingmen Errol Peredo and Jolan Mendoza added 21 and 12 points, respectively, in the loss.

Hoops encountered no such trouble against Ol’Aces in the second game, as the Oleai team looked as if it still hasn’t recovered from the hangover brought on by its 85-83 upset of Toyota.

The NMC-based squad started like a house on fire and quickly built an imposing lead before taking the first quarter, 33-10, and the second by a whopping 31 points, 57-26.

Ol’Aces still had no answer at the start of the second half and at several occasions in the third quarter had their game total doubled by their rivals in the 25-and-under league.

It was already a laugher as the fourth and final quarter came along with Hoops enjoying a 90-47 spread. Ol’Aces tried to make the final score more respectable by launching triples aplenty in the final couples of minutes, but it hardly made a dent as Hoops closed with the 42-point winning margin.

Slotman Mel Manibusan paced a balanced attack by Hoops with 15 points. Jason Amado, Jester Garcia, Pete Mendiola, and Jerry Diaz also scored 11 or more points for the victors.

Shan Seman was the lone bright spot for Ol’Aces with 25 points, which included seven hits from downtown. Center Ambrose Ogumoro and off-guard Dexter Dillay chipped in 12 and 11 points.

First Game

Bud Light-Toyota 98 – Camacho 18, Mendoza 17, Van Buren 17, Iginoef 12, Saralu 12, Rangamar 8, Renguul 7, Celes 7.

Anheuser-8 3’s Const. 87 – Cequena 31, Peredo 21, Mendoza 12, Cortez 6, De Guzman 6, Factor 5, De Dios 4, Artates 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-22, 51-52, 76-72, 98-87.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Dado Vistal.

Second Game

Bud Ice-Hoopaholics 102 – Manibusan 15, Amado 14, Garcia 13, Mendiola 12, Diaz 11, Fejeran 8, Je. Sablan 8, Villacrusis 8, Hardt 6.
O’Duols-Ol’Aces 60 – Seman 25, Ogumoro 12, Dillay 11, Aranda 4, Tagabuel 4, Lizama 4.

Scoring by quarters: 33-10, 57-26, 90-47, 102-60.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Jess Pacheco.