Twin wins for Diamond in ‘08 San Miguel caging

Diamond Auto Care recorded back-to-back wins in the Inaugural 2008 PILCOWA-San Miguel Beer Basketball League Saturday night at the CIC Centre Basketball Court in Garapan.

Diamond first played against C&R Distributors/NRG resuming their rain-suspended match on Oct. 19. The Boy Garcia-mentored squad was leading C&R, 85-83, with 5:29 left in the game and Diamond picked up where it left off eking out a 94-89 victory.

Elmer Esdrelon nailed crucial free throws in the closing minutes of the game hitting 4-for-6 from the 15-foot line to give Diamond the five-point win.

Sahnee Ranola top-scored for Diamond with 18 points, while Darwin Barbo and Ronald Delos Reyes chipped in 17 and 15 markers. Esdrelon finished with 11, making eight in the payoff period, and had 10 rebounds and five assists.

Jericho Cruz paced C&R/NRG with 21 points

The victory helped Diamond recover from a humiliating 83-113 loss against the league-leading MIGS.

It also improved to a 2-1 record after cruising to a 90-76 triumph over the slumping San Miguel Light, which absorbed its third straight loss in as many games.

A few minutes after their close win against C&R, Diamond players were still catching their collective breaths and were off to a sluggish start. Garcia had only three players scoring in the first period, which ended with the fresh San Miguel ahead by three, 16-13.

Forwards Junar Guiab and Darwin Barbo then lead Diamond’s uprising in the second period combining for 15 of their 28 points to put their team in the lead at halftime, 44-37.

Diamond took the lead in the first half surviving Leo Itaas’ 16-point output in the first 20 minutes of the game. San Miguel Light failed to sustain its momentum in the second period, as its offensive set was concentrated on Itaas.

In the second half, other San Miguel Light players stepped up, but it was Itaas’ turn to cool down, scoring only seven points in the last two quarters. He had only five points in the third period, and was held to a two markers in the fourth.

Diamond kept the lead and the win in the second half drawing contributions from every player fielded in the game.

At the end of the match, Diamond had six players finishing in double figures in scoring.

Delos Reyes had 16 points and collared 12 boards. Guiab also had a double-double, firing 16 markers and grabbing 10 rebounds. Esdrelon nearly had a triple-double, scoring 14 points, recording eight rebounds and eight assists.

Darwin Barbo chipped in 13, while Brendo Talania and Ed Cosino contributed 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

Itaas still paced San Miguel Light with 23 points, Glen Maglaya added 12, and Jerome Reyes drilled 10.

C&R and Century Insurance played in the third game of the night, but the match was suspended due to rain with the game tied at 61-all at the end of the third period.

C&R led by 14 at halftime, 44-30, but Century Insurance recovered in the third period behind Wowee Abuel and Bing Marasigan’s 3-point shooting, and even took the lead after Larry Palero’s 3-point play, 61-59, with less than a minute left in that canto.

C&R was limited to six points in the first seven minutes of the third quarter to lose control of the match.

The continuation of the game has yet to be announced.

First Game

Diamond Auto Care 94 – Ranola 18, D. Barbo 17, Delos Reyes 15, Esdrelon 11, Aquino 11, Guiab 10, Talania 6, Cosino 4, Bicera 2.
C&R/NRG 89 – Cruz 21, Estolas 16, Camacho 14, Peredo 13, Vilacrusis 12, Capalad 6, Villarin 4, Chan 3.
Scoring by quarters: 24-32, 55-54, 71-79, 94-89.

Second Game

Diamond Auto Care 90 – Guiab 16, Delos Reyes 16, Esdrelon 14, D. Barbo 13, Talania 11, Cosino 10, Tamondong 3, Fernandez 3, G. Barbo 3.

San Miguel Light 76 – Itaas 23, Maglaya 13, Reyes 10, Ritual 9, Buniag 8, Sarmiento 4, Geli 4, Abenoja , Lauron 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-16, 44-37, 72-58, 90-76.