San Miguel tastes first victory

San Miguel Light/Pacific Trading, Co. finally broke into the win column in the Inaugural 2008 PILCOWA-San Miguel Beer Basketball League.

The Beermen savored their first victory Thursday night after walloping Olivos/Reliance Construction, 107-83, at the CIC Centre Basketball Court in Garapan.

San Miguel and Olivos played in the final game of the regular season with the former ending the preliminary round with a 1-5 record. Olivos had a 2-4 record in the regular season.

Ryan Sanciangco, who played only in his third game in the league, led the Beermen’s offense with his 23 points.

His presence was badly needed in the game, as San Miguel played without its other gunner—Leo Itaas.

Sanciangco’s 10-second quarter points allowed San Miguel Light to take full control of the game, leading by eight points, 44-36, at halftime.

Sanciangco had only six points in the first period, which ended with San Miguel ahead by only two, 18-16.

The lead increased to 12 after the third period, 75-63, as Sancianggo began to draw support from his teammates.

Erian Lansang and Joem Abenoja had seven points apiece, while Alex Lauron chipped in six for San Miguel in the third period. Four Beermen combined for 15 points.

While San Miguel had a balance offense in the third quarter, Ivan De Vero almost had a one-man show for Olivos, firing 12 markers. He was the lone Olivos player to score more than two field goals in the third canto.

Olivos never recovered from thereon, as De Vero went cold in the fourth, making only four markers. Dante Olivos drilled the most points for Olivos in the fourth with eight, but majority of his baskets came when the game was already decided.

San Miguel continued its balance attack in the fourth period with seven players making it to the scoreboard.

Lansang was still on target in the fourth quarter, adding eight markers, while four players had four points each.

Despite the win, San Miguel finished at the bottom of the team standings in the seven-team field.

The Beermen will be paired against MIGS in the first round of the single-elimination playoffs this week.

MIGS finished the regular season in second place with a 5-1 record. Century tied MIGS in the win-loss mark, but the former took the No. 1 spot and the pennant after winning in their lone meeting in the regular season. Century also drew a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Olivos was ranked fourth and will be pitted against C&R Distributor/NRG. The other playoff pairing will be Diamond Auto Care and Aon Insurance.
[B] San Miguel 107[/B]—Sanciangco 23, Lansang 17, Lauron 16, Abenoja 17, Garon 10, Reyes 8, Obnimaga 8, Sarmiento 4.
[B] Olivos/Reliance 83[/B]—De Vero 26, Casabuena 15, Olivos 14, Dimaano 14, Mateo 7, Mercurio 6, Mendiola 1.