PSS hammers CUC, 91-51

Public School System’s Maverick Itibus goes up for a layup and is challenged by Commonwealth Utilities, Corp.’s Iramk Simada during the fourth quarter of their game in the JP World caging last Monday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The 40-point winning margin allowed PSS to recover from an 88-102 loss to the league-leading Shirley’s Coffee Shop last week and put the former to a three-way tie for third place with CUC and Joeten as the three teams hold similar 2-2 records. Micronesian Brokers. Inc/Anchor is in second place as it improved to a 3-1 mark following a 97-90 victory over the winless Docomo Pacific (0-4) in the first game last Monday.

PSS took the floor after the Docomo-MBI tiff and worked early to establish a sizeable lead that CUC failed to overhaul because of its lack of manpower. CUC started the match with only six players before its seventh man arrived late in the second quarter, which ended with PSS enjoying a 33-point advantage, 56-23.
Twenty-plus point production in the first two quarters helped PSS build a good lead. The Bob Coldeen-coached PSS sizzled for 29 markers in the opening canto with Jerry Diaz jumpstarting the team’s offense, scoring 7 of their first 9 points. Preston Basa added two triples, while six other players hit the board, too in the first frame. Basa and Diaz’s points alone were enough to outgun the entire CUC crew, who combined for only 11 markers.

PSS continued to play unselfish basketball in the second period and had another 20-plus output to more than double up CUC by halftime, while the former still had a so-so offense, making only 12 points and clearly missing the services of guard James Benavente and big man Frank Mizutani. Before not showing up in their game against PSS, Benavente and Mizutani combined for 19 points in their 78-77 win over Top Development, Inc. last Friday.

Despite its big halftime lead, PSS kept pouring points in the third period, finishing the quarter with four straight triples to enter the fourth with a whopping 38-point margin, 83-35. Basa hit another triple in the third, Ed Guinto also canned one, and Joe Villacrusis buried two.

With PSS delivering the killer blows late in the third, the game was over, leaving the opposing teams to trade baskets in the final canto.

In the first game, MBI/Anchor finally outgunned Docomo Pacific in the fourth quarter to notch the 7-point victory.

MBI/Anchor and Docomo Pacific breathed on each other’s neck in the first three periods before Ivan Devero, White Capalad, Pete Lizama, and Justin Zapanta alternately hit baskets to foil Docomo’s bid to enter the win column.

The MBI/Anchor quartet combined for 26 of the team’s 28 points in the final frame with each player hitting at least three field goals apiece. Jeff Garcia scored the other 2 points for MBI/Anchor, which trailed by one at the end of the third period, 69-70. Earlier in the first two quarters, MBI/Anchor also clung to slim leads, 22-20, 44-40.

The four MBI/Anchor players stood out against Docomo’s Tony Diaz, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter and had only two teammates helping him out to keep the team in the match.

First Game
MBI/Anchor 97 – Devero 23, Capalad 21, Zapanta 21, Garcia 17, Lizama 10.

Docomo Pacific 90 – Diaz 36, White 20, Sanciangco 18, Hayes 10, Sablan 6.

Scoring by quarters: 22-20, 44-40, 69-70, 97-90.

Second Game
PSS 91 – Basa 16, Cabrera 11, Villacrusis 9, Mendez 9, Diaz 9, Guinto 9, Villagomez 7, Coldeen 7, Santos 6, Loste 5, Manibusan 2, Itibus 2.

CUC 51 – Poquiz 13, Simda 10, Lieto 8, Nunez 8, Masga 8, Camacho 5.

Scoring by quarters: 29-11, 56-23, 83-35, 91-51.