MDX hands Cabalen 1st loss

MDX/Armatech won the battle of unbeaten teams in the UFO Inter-Organization Masters Basketball Docomo Pacific Cup 2011 after outclassing Cabalen/Wings Travel, 92-80, on Tuesday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

MDX now has a 3-0 record for the solo lead in the five-team field. Cabalen fell to a 3-1 slate, as it lost the lead and the game when MDX saved its best for last with a 30-point production in the fourth quarter against the former’s 15.

Cabalen had the upper hand after the third period, 65-62, but MDX poured it on in the final canto to steal the victory. Martin Moreno and Toto Banatasa anchored MDX’s big plays in the fourth, combining for 14 points, while James Abuy and Bernard Montano also contributed in the team’s cause with six points apiece. Bruce Berline and Bong Malasarte also scored for MDX in the fourth period.

While MDX had a balanced offense in the fourth quarter, Cabalen had a two-man show. Only Tony Diaz and Edsel Mendoza logged more than one field goal for the defending champion, with the former nailing nine points and the latter chipping in six. Edwin Santos was only the third Cabalen player to make it to the scoreboard in the payoff canto with his two points.

Coming into the game with undefeated records, MDX and Cabalen were pretty even after 10 minutes of play. Abuy canned two early triples and scored eight points to give MDX a two-point lead, 20-18.

At halftime, MDX and Cabalen were back to square one, as the game was tied, 41-all. Montano scored 10 points for MDX in the second canto, while Mendoza had nine for Cabalen. Montano was still on target in the third period, adding eight more points, while Mendoza slowed down and made only one field goal. However, Alex Ocampo stepped up for Cabalen with seven markers and drew support from three other teammates to give the defending champions a three-point lead at the end of the third period.

In the fourth quarter, Mendoza regained his form and Diaz also hit his mark, but unfortunately majority of Cabalen players struggled in the most important stretch of the match.

Montano led MDX with 24 points, while Abuy and Moreno finished with 22 and 14, respectively. Diaz and Mendoza had 24 apiece for Cabalen, which drew 15 markers from Ocampo.

MDX/Armatech 92 – Montano 24 Abuy 22, Moreno 14, Banatasa 9, Berline 8, Trajano 8, Tobias 2.

Cabalen/Wings Travel 80 – Diaz 24, Mendoza 24, Ocampo 15, Santos 9, Yalung 2, Atalig 2.

Scoring by quarters: 20-18, 41-41, 62-65, 92-80.