Visminda, MDX are two for two

Defending champion Visminda-Nel Atalig/Tambayan and MDX Amateur Radio Club-Armtech both notched their second win of the season, outlasting their opponents Saturday in the Budweiser-Coca Cola 6th UFO Inter-Organizational Basketball League at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Visminda dominated the final three quarters against 287 Club-McDonalds for an easy 104-83 victory.

After getting a good fight in the opening period, Visminda kicked into turbo mode and stretched a four-point lead into a 20-point cushion after outscoring their opponents, 36-20. Errol Peredo and Emil De Belen each swooshed the net for seven points while the rest of the Visminda cagers punched in solid support to lift the team to a 58-38 advantage at the break.

Visminda continued to hold control of the bout and prevented 287 Club from closing in. In fact, the defending champions managed to pad their lead and headed into the final period with a commanding 25-point spread, 82-57.

Versatile veteran Ariel Jinang did his best to keep 287 Club from falling farther behind and put on a scoring clinic with 17 points in the last 10 minutes, but his play was not enough to make a big dent on the deficit.

Peredo and Jawn Joyner led Visminda with 19 and 14 points, while Lester Babauta and De Belen finished with 13 points apiece. Danny Bicera and Bing Marasigan added 10 points each.

Jinang led 287 Club with a game-high 33 points, while Gil Gapor and William Opone added 15 and 10 points.

In the second game, MDX built a comfortable lead and barely held off a furious charge by NAMFREL-Region V/Sabungero for a nerve-wrecking 74-73 victory.

The speedy Butch Sublemente scored nine points in the opening quarter and spearheaded a 33-20 MDX run, but the comfort zone was short lived as the NAMFREL cagers settled down and clawed themselves closer to close the half down by just six points, 37-43.

NAMFREL continued to run on all cylinders and eventually pulled even, knotting the game at 61-61 right before the final stanza as Larry Palero worked his way for 10 points.

Sublemente’s endurance kept him strong in the late goings, and the guard pumped in eight of the team’s 13 points while NAMFREL was held to 12 points for the slim difference.

Sublemente led MDX with 23 points, while Jolan Mendoza and Jomer Diyco contributed 11 and 10 points.

Palero finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Renato Pe and Gabby Gagate added 16 and 12 points for NAMFREL.

First Game

Visminda 104 – Peredo 19, Joyner 14, Babauta 13, De Belen 13, Bicera 10, Marasigan 10, De Guzman 8, Cosino 7, Gamboa 7, Cachero 3.

287 Club 83 – Jinang 33, Gapor 15, Opone 10, Mi. Achas 8, Tobias 4, Samson 4, Peleno 3, Rebuyon 2, Ma. Achas 2, Lizo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-18, 58-38, 82-57, 104-83.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Arnold Mesa.

Second Game

MDX 74 – Sublemente 23, Mendoza 11, Diyco 10, Pambid 6, Umali 5, Moreno 5, Devero 4, Pablo 4, Guinto 4, Capalad 2.

NAMFREL 73 – Palero 19, Pe 16, Gagate 12, Samson 8, Noel 6, Mangahis 4, Garcia 2, Miday 2, Doronilla 2, Alvarez 2.

Scoring by quarters: 33-20, 43-37, 61-61, 74-73.

Referees: Dado Vistal and Jess Pacheco.