Michelob’s Sablan is Bud Cup scoring champ

Scoring machine Dave Sablan had a slow start to the season, but quickly re-established himself as one of the Commonwealth’s top guns to win the regular season scoring title of the 2005 Budweiser Cup BANMI Men’s Island-wide Basketball League.

The Michelob-Master Construction Torque guard averaged just 12.4 points per game after his team’s first five bouts, but when veteran Tony Diaz went down with a season-ending injury, Sablan picked up the slack and broke out a whopping 47 points in Torque’s 97-88 win over Budweiser-Wells Fargo last Oct. 14.

Sablan went on to break the 40-point mark two more times and scored 23 or more points in each of the team’s remaining games to finish with a league-best 344 points in 11 games.

With that, Sablan ran away with the title with an average of 26.5 points per game.

Right behind Sablan is teammate Ed Diaz, who served as the backbone of the team with consistency on both ends of the floor. He played in 12 games and swooshed the nets for 270 points—including 43 points last Oct. 19—to finish with a respectable 22.5 average.

Not far behind is two-time defending champion Bid Light-Toyota Tundra forward Taj Van Buren, who showcased his soft touch from beyond the 3-point line all season long. The versatile big man was the team’s money player as he scored in double figures in each of the 13 games he played in, posing as a key piece to Toyota’s pennant title run. In the end, he averaged 20.4 points per game after knocking down 265 points.

Young gun Kevin Cequena of Anheuser-8 3’s Construction was next in line after averaging of 19 points per game after burying 241 points, while O’Douls-Ol”Aces youthful forward Jack Lizama and MARPAC-Nissan Titans slotman Jawn Joyner were tied with averages of 18.5 points per game. Lizama pumped in 241 points in 13 bouts while Joyner had 223 points in 12 games.

Another high school student found himself in the elite list as Dan Barcinas of the Ol’Aces averaged a seventh-best 17.9 points per game after drilling 197 points in 11 games, while fellow guard Joe Punzalan of Bacardi-Golden Oldies followed with an average of 15.6 points per game. He connected for 172 points in 11 games.

Center Abong Camacho of Toyota followed with 169 points in 11 games for an average of 15.4, while Bud Ice-SaipanCell Hoopaholics guard Jason Amado capped the top 10 with an average of 15.2 points per game. He pumped in 167 points in 11 outings.

Meanwhile, 11 other players, who played a minimum of 11 games, finished the season averaging in double figures.

Almost making the top 10 was Nissan guard Aleric Aguon, who poured in 176 points in 12 games for an average of 14.7, while Ol’Aces guard Shan Seman followed with an average of 13.4 after connecting for 174 points in 13 games.

Toyota shooter Elias Saralu was next with 157 points in 13 games for an average of 12.1 points per game, while Ol’Aces forward Mel Tagabuel followed with an average of 12 points per bout courtesy of 144 points in 12 games.

Former national player and Nissan forward Steve Rasa, Toyota forward Romeo Iginoef, and Hoopaholics forward Jeremy Sablan were next with averages of 11.8 points per game.

Rasa was at No. 15 with 130 points in 11 games, Iginoef pumped in 153 points in 13 outings, Sablan had 141 points in 12 games.

Toyota playmaker Elias Rangamar was at No. 19 with an average of 10.9, Anheuser’s Jolan Mendoza at No. 20 with 10.6, Nissan’s Kelvin Fitial at No. 21 with 10.4, and Toyota’s Junior Renguul capped the list with 10 points per game.