Big win for Docomo, Ol’Aces triumph

Docomo Pacific ended their campaign in the regular season of the 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League with a big win over the CNMI Nationals, 89-83, Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Docomo became only the second team to beat the Nationals this season. Quichocho Law Office handed the Nationals their first two losses in the league. The Nationals finished the regular season with a 9-3 slate, but kept the No. 1 seeding in the playoffs. Docomo and Quichocho are tied for fifth to sixth place with their identical 5-7 records.

All seven teams will advance to the single-elimination playoffs with the Nationals getting a bye in the first round.

Kelvin Fitial led Docomo’s victory with his double-double performance, firing 32 points and collaring 17 rebounds. He made nine of Docomo’s 21 points in the fourth quarter, which saw several lead changes, as neither team was willing to give in.

A triple from The Nationals’ Jericho Cruz tied the game for the last time at 83-all, with 1:43 left on the clock. The Nationals then committed two errors and missed a couple of shots in the stretch, allowing Docomo to pull off the upset.

After Mel Manibusan brought the lead back to Docomo with his layup, 85-83, the Nationals committed an error on the backcourt with Cruz passing the ball errantly to Iguel. Iguel saved the ball from going out of the sideline in front of Docomo’s bench. But the leather landed in the wrong hands with James Villacrusis picking it up and making a layup to increase Docomo’s lead, 87-83, with 1:13 left in the game.

The Nationals faltered in their offensive set, grabbed the offensive rebound, but Allen Moses lost the ball to the sideline, while trying to recover a strong pass from Marvin Rabauliman.

Docomo answered with another undergoal stab from Fitial to seal the victory in the last 13.1 seconds of the match.

In the first game, Ol’Aces held the Runnin’ Rebels to nine points in the third period, to turn a 34-37 halftime deficit to a 67-46 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Ol’Aces never looked back from thereon to improve to a 7-4 record. They will play their last game tonight against Diamond Auto Care and a win will give Ol’Aces the No. 2 slot in the playoffs.

The Runnin’ Rebels will be seeded last and will face either Ol’Aces or IT&E in the playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 2-10 record.

Ol’Aces 90[/B] – Rangamar 22, White 16, Tudela 12, Renguul 11, Iginoef 10, Olaitiman 10, Omar 5, Camacho 4.

Docomo 89 [/B]– Fitial 32, Wallace 12, Ja. Villacrusis 10, Jo. Villacrusis 10, Paul 9, Lee 6, Manibusan 4, Diaz 4, Mendez 2.
[B] CNMI Nationals 83[/B] – Cruz 31, Moses 16, Rabauliman 14, Iguel 13, Chariton 8, White 1.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 17-24, 43-44, 68-65, 89-83.