Ol’Aces ease way to semifinals

The Ol’Aces’ Coby Santos, 8, challenges the shot of Kagman Rollers’ Jeremy Agulto during the second quarter of their playoff game in the boys U18 division of the Diaz youth caging yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Ol’Aces booked the first semis ticket in the 2017 Francisco M. Diaz Memorial Youth League after cruising past Kagman Rollers, 87-24, at the start of the playoff round yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The No. 1 seed Ol’Aces held the last playoff qualifier Kagman without a field goal in the first eight minutes and change of the second quarter to break the game wide open en route to the easy win—the team’s 12th in as many games after sweeping the round-robin elimination.

Before its meltdown in the pivotal second canto, Kagman was just facing a manageable 11-point deficit after the first quarter, 8-19. However, the Ol’Aces showed no mercy in the second period, as it pressured Kagman right from the backcourt to force several turnovers, which the former turned into baskets. With the Ol’Aces’ defense working and their offense also on point, the pennant champions were able to build a promising 40-8 advantage, with a little over a minute left in the first half.

A triple from Chris Arceo finally ended Kagman’s silence, however, the Ol’Aces closed with 5 answered points off Brand Onopwy’s back-to-back baskets and Frank Bondoc’s layup to pull their team away further at the break, 46-11.

At the resumption of the match, the Ol’Aces played no let up on defense, limiting the hapless Kagman Rollers to four field goals in the entire second half to ease their way to the semifinals. Dean Blake led the Ol’Aces’ demolition of Kagman after scoring 16 points, while Jeff Castro and K.J. Kabiriel also finished in twin digits with 12 and 10, respectively. Four other Ol’Aces players combined for 33 more points and their outputs were enough to outgun the entire Kagman Rollers crew. Jeremy Agulto paced Kagman with his 10 markers and only four other players made it to the board for the eliminated squad.

Meanwhile, after ousting Kagman Rollers, the Ol’Aces will face the winner of the 670 Sonics XVII-Natibu Warriors playoff match, which is set for tomorrow at 6:30pm. Also scheduled for tomorrow is the 670 Sonics XVI versus Ol’Aces Elite at 5:30pm in the battle for the third semis berth, while NMI/DYS Rollers and Mt. Carmel School collided in the second game last night for the second semis ticket.

First Game
Ol’Aces 87 – Blake 16, Castro 12, Kabiriel 10, Castillo 9, Onopwy 8, Santos 8, Siech 8, Manglona 4, Bondoc 4.

Kagman Rollers 24 – Agulto 10, Duenas 6, Cruz 3, Arceo 3, Rabauliman 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-8, 46-11, 65-18, 87-24.