Joeten beats PSS, settles for third

Joeten finished third in the 2014 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League after downing Public School System, 78-71, in last Friday’s consolation game at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Joeten capitalized on PSS’s sloppy plays in the last two minutes of the match to bag the third place honors in the nine-team field.

PSS, which led by as much as 9 points in the second quarter, scored only 2 points in the final two minutes of the game and committed five errors. The Bob Coldeen Sr.-coached team was still in contention, down by only three, 69-72, when PSS started turning the ball over, allowing Joeten to gain more cushion and pull off the win.

Joeten’s Alex Lauron fakes off the defense of PSS’ Maverick Itibus, left, and Ray Santos during their consolation game in the JP World caging last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The first miscue happened when Mel Manibusan’s cross court pass to Maverick Itibus was intercepted by Kevin De Leon, who then went coast to coast for a layup. He missed, but big man Alex Lauron was there for the putback, upping Joeten’s advantage to five, 71-69, with 1:33 left in the game.

PSS’s erratic plays continued in the closing minutes of the game, while Syl Teregeyo turned one of those errors into points and Juanito Sambile hit 2-for-4 from the foul line to ice it for Joeten. PSS’ scored its lone basket in the third off Manibusan’s layup in the dying seconds of the match.

De Leon top-scored in Joeten’s last game of the season, firing 22, while Teregeyo also finished strong adding 20. Lauron chipped in 12, while Sambile contributed 9.

Teregeyo drilled 8 of his total points in the fourth, which began with PSS hanging on to a 61-60 lead. Joeten threatened PSS as the former worked its way back into the game in the third frame after facing a 38-45 halftime deficit. De Leon lifted Joeten in the third, scoring 9 points, while Lauron also stepped up, tallying 6 points in that canto after nailing only two field goals in the first half.

PSS ended the first half with the 7-point lead with Manibusan, Jerry Diaz, and Santos heating up in the second quarter. Diaz canned two triples in the second period and scored 8 points, while Manibusan registered 7, and Santos logged 5. Maverick Itibus scored PSS’ 4 other points in the second period.

PSS’ balanced offense was nowhere to be found in the third with only Joe VIllacrusus hitting more than one field goal for the team. PSS’ poor shooting continued in the payoff period and coupled with its miscues, the squad failed on its bid to finish in the Top 3. PSS was held to three field goals and four free throws in the fourth canto.

Joeten 78 – De Leon 22, Teregeyo 20, Lauron 12, Sambile 9, Tobias 5, Tudela 3, Sablan 2, Borja 1.

PSS 71 – Diaz 17, Manibusan 12, Santos 12, Itibus 12, Villacrusis 8, Cabrera 6, Coldeen 2.

Scoring by quarters: 23-19, 38-45, 60-61, 78-71.