KFC draws first blood in U18 division

KFC’s Wilfredo Francisco goes up for an off-balance shot against two Chalan Kanoa Saints defenders during the fourth quarter of their game in the U18 division of the BANMI youth caging last Thursday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Sam Darag starred in KFC’s opening game win, as he scored a game-high 14 points. He consistently hit baskets in all four quarters to lift KFC to the 17-point win.

KFC played with a full roster in the kick-off match of the division and that proved to be beneficial for KFC, as it almost always had fresher legs to run the floor against Chalan Kanoa, which missed several other players.

With its players getting enough rest, KFC managed to break the game wide open in the second half after increasing its 5-point cushion at the break, 23-18 to a double-digit winning margin. KFC started taking full control of the match in the third when it more than doubled the Saints’ output, 19-8, for a promising 42-26 advantage.

Dicky Feria contributed in the breakaway, as he began and ended the third period with a triple, five other KFC players also hit their marks in that pivotal run. Chalan Kanoa was held to four field goals in the meltdown and had no player score more than a field goal in that period. The 8 points it registered in the third was the second time Chalan Kanoa failed to record twin digits in scoring, as it logged only 7 in the opening canto.

Jun Fidelino, Mike Espinosa, and Toshi Pangelinan then tried to rally back the Saints in the fourth, but received no help at all on offense from their teammates. These three players combined for all of Chalan Kanoa’s 15 markers in the final frame.

In contrast, seven different players made baskets for KFC in the fourth canto with Darag and Jethro Cruz leading the balance scoring after canning two field goals apiece. Seven KFC players recorded at least 4 points each at the end of the easy win, while only four Saints players posted more than one basket apiece.

KFC coasted to victory after its consistency on offense in the last three periods, firing 16 each in the second and fourth and 19 in the end. Before getting into its rhythm, KFC had only 7 points in the first quarter after being held to two field goals.

KFC 58 – Darag 14, Javier 8, Cruz 6, Feria 6, O. Warren 6, Ogasawara 4, Francisco 4, H. Warren 2, Myers 1.

C.K. Saints 41 – Espinosa 13, Fidelino 11, Pangelinan 6, Langu 4, Omengkar 2, Floresca 2, Nakashima 2.

Scoring by quarters: 7-7, 23-18, 42-26, 58-41.