MDX still flawless in DLX caging

MDX moved two wins away from sweeping the regular season of the 2011 DLX Basketball Invitational Friendship League after downing 8th Division, 73-69, last Wednesday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

The victory was sixth in a row for MDX, giving the team a two-win lead over second-running Wushin Express and Blue Haus, which hold similar 4-1 marks. 8th Division fell to a 2-5 mark with one more game left in the single-round robin elimination. 8th Division will face the winless Pacific Postal Plus in its last game on Dec. 19, while MDX’s last two games will be against Pacific Postal (Dec. 16) and Konstrak (Dec. 19).

Alex Lauron, which led MDX with 26 points in their 65-57 triumph over SCS Heavy Equipment last Monday night, anchored their offense anew against 8th Division. He had 18 markers, making eight of them in the final canto to stop 8th Division’s repeated comeback bids.

The MDX forward scored the team’s first six points in the fourth period to keep their distance against 8th Division. Five other MDX players contributed in the fourth canto en route to their 14-point victory.

8th Division was held to 59 markers after failing to score more than 20 points in each of the four quarters. Its biggest output (17) came in the first period, but MDX still went up, 22-17, behind the six markers of Lauron and four points each from Zack Diaz and Ziddy Johanes.

MDX retained the lead in the second frame 40-31, as 8th Division still struggled offensively, making only 14 markers. Then in the second half, teams switched court and so did their fortunes when MDX was limited to 10 markers, it’s lowest production in the game. However, 8th Division outgunned MDX by only two points, leaving the latter with a 50-43 advantage.

Lauron was scoreless in the third period, but Mike Palacios kept MDX on the driver’s seat with his six points. Then in the fourth, Lauron made up for his absence in the third, as he went to work early in the crucial final canto to preserve the win. Palacios supported Lauron with 13 markers, while Zack Babauta chipped in 10.

Blue Haus leaned on its impressive 3-point shooting to beat FGC in the curtain-raiser and grab a share of second place with Wushin Express.

Blue Haus converted nine triples, drilling three of them in the fourth canto en route to the nine-point victory. FGC canned only four treys to remain winless after five games.

FGC looked good in the first period when it led, 23-18, off the six straight points of J.R. Barrios. However, Blue Haus claimed the driver’s seat in the second canto with Jun Abedes leading the rally with his nine points. Blue Haus grabbed the upper hand at halftime, 44-40, with Abedes and Brandon Talania hitting back-to-back triples in the closing minutes of the second canto.

In the third period, Edwin Camacho connected on two treys while Talania made one for a 57-53 cushion. Blue Haus continued to score from downtown with Talania, Edwin Camacho, and Marlon Sison hitting one each. Joy Dayrit converted only one shot from downtown for FGC in the fourth quarter.

Badong Camacho top-scored for Blue Haus with 19 points. He didn’t make a single shot from beyond the arc, but his presence in the paint gave Blue Haus the lift. Badong Camacho scored 10 of his total points in the first period to keep Blue Haus afloat before Talania and company waxed hot in the 3-point area in the ensuing quarters. Talania and Edwin Camacho had 15 points each, while Abedes nailed 16. Barrios led FGC with 17 points.
[B] First Game

Blue Haus 79[/B] – B. Camacho 19, Abedes 16, E. Camacho 15, Talania 15, Olivos 4, Cruz 4.

MDX 73[/B] – Lauron 18, Palacios 12, Babauta 10, Diaz 8, Tenorio 7, Lisua 6, Lansang 5, Johanes 4.
[B] 8th Division 59[/B] – Factor 16, Lansang 12, Bernardo 12, Detera 8, Culala 6, Alejandro 2, Jacob 2.
[B] Scoring by quarters: [/B]22-17, 40-31, 50-43, 73-59.