Gwap Gang outclasses I Love Saipan

Gwap Gang’s Mike Ito drives against Digital Motion’s Webb Guntar during a regular season game in the DLX caging last month at the Gualo Rai Court. Gwap Gang is still unbeaten this season, following a 79-74 win over I Love Saipan last Friday at the start of the semis round. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Gwap Gang collected its seventh win this season, having swept all five games in the regular season and winning its first match in the playoffs against deposed champion San Roque, while I Love Saipan had its three-game streak snapped and must prevail in its last two games in the semis round to remain in contention for the two finals berth. The Top 2 teams after the round-robin semis will slug it out in the finals and Gwap Gang joined fellow undefeated squad Ali’i in the winners’ column.

Kelvin Fitial top-scored for Gwap Gang with 19 points, but it was the successive baskets of Rodney Sacramento and Lester Vertudez in the homestretch that lifted the team to its first win in the semis. Sacramento scoredh 5 straight points off a layup and a triple, while Vertudez drilled the last two baskets of Gwap Gang to thwart the hard-fighting I Love Saipan.

Credit also John Darag for the close win, as he knocked in all his 9 points in the final canto to keep Gwap Gang’s lead. Gwap Gang held a shaky 54-52 lead at the end of the third period when Darag started hitting his shots early in the fourth. He drained a triple to kick off the final frame and converted two more baskets to counter I Love Saipan’s attack before getting his ninth point with a field goal midway in the fourth.

Darag’s early shots and Sacramento and Vertudez’s baskets in the closing minutes made up for the inside points Gwap Gang allowed to big men Larry Sharry and Gyles Ruluked, who combined for 14 in the final canto.

Sharry had a breakout game last weekend, beginning his hot-shooting night with an 8-point output I the first period, that ended with Gwap Gang clinging to a 2-point cushion, 17-15. Sacramento had 6 points for Gwap Gang and drew help from four other teammates to have the edge after 10 minutes of play.

Sharry continued to lead I Love Saipan in the second quarter, while Gwap Gang played a balanced offense to stretch the advantage to five after the first half, 36-31. Sharry was still at it in the third and this time got support from Mike Olaitiman, who tallied 10 points to move I Love Saipan within two, entering the fourth frame. The game remained close in the fourth canto and Gwap Gang came out on top, hitting clutch shots.

Gwap Gang 79 – Fitial 19, Sacramento 11, Darag 9, Yap 8, Vertudez 6, Kwon 6, Deleon Guerrero 5, Ito 2.

I Love Saipan 74 – Sharry 28, M. Olaitiman 22, Ruluked 8, Capalad 4, Ra. Olopai 3, J. Olaitiman 2, R. Olopai 2.

Scoring by quarters: 17-15, 36-31, 54-52, 79-74.