Inchcape notches third semis seat

Inchcape clinched the third semis berth in the 2009 Navy Hill Friendship Basketball League after whipping Rollers Basketball Club, 79-67, Sunday night at the Gaparan Basketball Court.

Inchcape now joins Athlete’s Foot and KFC/Taco Bell in the Final Four. Pennant champion Dollar Days and IT&E will duel for the remaining semis ticket this week.

The Rollers-Inchcape playoff game was first played on Saturday, but was rained out with 2:41 left in the fourth quarter and with the latter ahead by 12, 71-59.

Inchcape picked up where it left off at the resumption of the match to advance to the next round.

Marlon De Dios top-scored for Inchcape with 18 points, while Errol Peredo chipped in 16.

Inchcape took early control of the game with De Dios asserting his might in the shaded lane, scoring eight in the first period.

Rollers were behind by 14 after the first quarter, 10-24, and they never recovered from thereon. Manny Matagolai led Rollers’ losing cause, making a game-high 31 points.

Meanwhile, the Masters division of the Navy Hill caging opened Sunday with Garapan and Navy Hill winning their debut games.

Garapan drew 20-plus points from Edel Carino, Adonis Macoto, and Ferdie De La Torre to tame the Wild Boys, 90-62.

Carino exploded for 28 points, while Macoto and De La Torre contributed 24 and 21 markers, respectively.

Garapan had a jackrabbit start, firing 32 points in the first period to take a 14-point lead, 32-18. Macoto and Carino had 12 points apiece in the opening quarter and added with each in the second period to give Garapan a big 54-32 halftime lead.

De La Torre joined the scoring spree in the second half, making 17 of his total points in the final 20 minutes of the match to lift Garapan to an easy win.

In the other Masters game, Navy Hill edged China Town, 98-93.

Navy Hill had six players scoring in double figures with Ferdie Tobias leading the way with 26 points. Francis Rebuyon chipped in 20, Sonny Ranola had 18, George Villasan fired 16, Nolan Cultura nailed 12, and Dino Valdez tallied 10.

It was a come-from-behind win for Navy Hill, which was down most of the way in the first three quarters.

China Town was still ahead, 66-65, after the third period when Navy Hill waxed hot in the payoff canto via a 33-17 scoring run to steal the game.

Inchcape 79 – De Dios 18, Peredo 16, Ranola 8, Vinas 7, Casabuena 6, Mendoza 6, Olivos 4, Rebuyon 4, Tobias 3, Mendiola 2, Mckaskel 2.

Rollers 67 – Matagolai 31, D. Teregeyo 13, Santos 12, V. Teregeyo 5, Ogarto 3, A. Camacho 2, Babauta 1.

Scoring by quarters: 24-10, 43-30, 57-42, 79-67

Garapan 90 – Carino 28, Macoto 24, Dela Torre 21, Anasan 6, Galag 2.

Wild Boys 62 – Gomes 20, R. Dizon 10, Manuta 7, Tengco 7, Dayrit 6, Banaag 5, Bautista 4, Lagmay 2, Bonto 2.

Scoring by quarters: 32-18, 56-32, 68-45, 90-62.

Navy Hill 98 – Tobias 26, Rebuyon 20, Ranola 18, Villasan 16, Cultura 12, Valdez 10.

China Town 93 – Casabuena 25, Pacheco 23, Alcantara 16, Laquian 12, Conti 9, Garcia 6.

Scoring by quarters: 19-24, 41-43, 65-66, 98-93.