Back-to-back wins posted by MIGS

MIGS notched back-to-back wins in the 2009 Navy Hill Friendship Basketball League, including a thrilling 100-99 victory over Athlete’s Foot Tuesday night at the Garapan Basketball Court.

Before slipping past Athlete’s Foot, MIGS played Mobil Sunday night at the CIC Centre Basketball Court and won easily, 115-105.

Two days after its 10-point win, MIGS met a tougher opposition in Athlete’s Foot before pulling off a come-from-behind victory.

Bonbon Cadagat, J.R. Concepcion, and Walter Mendez delivered the crucial plays for MIGS in the last 2:04 of the game to escape with a one-point win.

Athlete’s Foot still was leading by four, 100-95, when it lost the ball at midcourt. Cadagat picked up the leather and had Joseph White ahead of him in a fastbreak play. Cadagat instead of passing the ball to White, who was several steps away from his defender and was closer to the basket, opted for a triple and missed.

Athlete’s Foot grabbed the rebound, but Sam Fernandez could not hang on to the ball and lost it to the sideline returning possession back to MIGS.

Cadagat made up for an earlier bad decision when he canned a triple from the left key moving MIGS within one, 98-99, with 1:30 left on the clock.

Despite having a lot of time left on the clock, Athlete’s Foot decided to rush things with Junar Guiab going for a drive-and-draw play, which faltered as Rommel Usi failed to catch the former’s drop pass underneath the basket.

Cadagat muffed a triple in the next offensive set, but Concepcion was there for the offensive rebound. After claiming the ball, Concepcion pulled up for a shot and was blocked by Guiab, but Mendez was at the right place at the right time for another offensive rebound and banked a shot to give MIGS the lead, 100-99, with less than minute left in the game.

Again, Athlete’s Foot chose not to settle things down on offense and paid the price when Jawn Joyner muffed a fallaway jumper.

MIGS countered with a miss shot and Athlete’s Foot had a chance to regain the lead when the ball went out of bounce in favor of the former, with 11 seconds left in the payoff period.

Athlete’s Foot had a timeout left, but did not use it, as Guiab quickly inbounded the ball from midcourt.

He passed the ball to Elmer Esdrelon, who escaped his defender from the left sideline, drove to the middle and was sandwiched by Concepcion and Mendez.

Esdrelon missed the shot and in the battle for the loose ball, Mendez tapped the ball to Jomary Tumaquip, who dribbled to their frontcourt as time expired.

Cadagat top-scored for MIGS with 44 points, exploding for 11 triples and making most of them from the left side of the court. Concepcion added 17, while Sonny Lerio added 14 before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Mendez finished with 10, drilling his lone field goal in the fourth that gave MIGS the lead.

Esdrelon paced Athlete’s Foot with 27 points.
[B] Sunday’s Game[/B]

MIGS 115 – Lerio 38, Johnson 17, Cadagat 10, Palero 9, Capalad 9, Concepcion 9, Mendez 9, Itibus 4, Hugos 2.

Mobil 105 – Estolas 34, Lauron 25, Cortez 14, Gomez 6, Anasan 3.

Scoring by quarters: 28-21, 46-49, 68-all, 115-105.
[B] Tuesday’s Game[/B]

MIGS 100 – Cadagat 44, Concepcion 17, Lerio 14, Mendez 10, Tumaquip 6, White 4, Omampo 1.

Athlete’s Foot 99 – Esdrelon 27, Joyner 22, Arreza 16, Usi 14, Guiab 7, Fernandez 2.

Scoring by quarters: 17-20, 49-46, 78-82, 100-99.