Docomo breaks into win column

Docomo notched its first win in the 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League after rallying past the Runnin’ Rebels, 90-78, Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Docomo Hoopaholics worked their way back from a 55-65 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter en route to a 12-point win, their first after a 0-2 start.

Behind by 10 at the end of the third canto, the Hoopaholics held the Runnin’ Rebels scoreless in the first three and a half minutes of the payoff period.

A Ryan Sanciangco split from the foul line capped Docomo’s 11-0 run in the first few minutes of the fourth and put the Hoopaholics in front, 66-65.

Runnin’ Rebels coach Sonny Flores sued for time to restore order on the team and his players responded with a short 6-2 run to retake the lead, 71-68.

But Docomo retaliated with a 14-0 blast in a span of three minutes minutes, making several steals which they converted into fastbreak points to take an 11-point lead, 82-72, going into the last two minutes of the game.

Ed Diaz, who started suiting up for Docomo only in the second quarter, put the finishing touches to the Hoopaholics’ come-from-behind win making seven of the team’s last nine points, including a booming triple from the right baseline in the final 20 minutes of the fourth period.

The Docomo-Runnin’ Rebels tiff ended in a tie in the first quarter, 22-all, and neither team still had clear control of the game at halftime with the former leading by only a point, 39-38.

But in the third period, the Runnin’ Rebels started to pull away with Bobby Coldeen making two triples and Jose Tumaquip and Jesus Iguel adding one apiece.

In the fourth quarter, baskets were scarce for the Runnin Rebels, who made only one trey in the fourth and it came when the came was already decided.

Docomo challenged the Runniní Rebels’ outside shots most of the time in the fourth period allowing the former to outscore the latter, 36-13.

In the second game, Quichocho Law office faced IT&E, but results of the match were unavailable at press time.
[B] Docomo 91[/B] – Sanciangco 26, Diaz 16, Fitial 14, Jo. Villacrusis 13, Manibusan 7, Mendez 5, Palacios 4, Lee 2.
[B] Runnin’ Rebels 70[/B] – Coldeen 19, Iguel 13, Tumaquip 13, Teregeyo 10, Norita 7, Lisua 5, Taisacan 3.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 22-all, 39-38, 55-65, 90-78.