SSFM/New Garapan Market still perfect

SSFM/New Garapan Market kept its unbeaten record in the 2015 DLX Invitational Basketball League following an 86-62 thrashing of Team Familia last Wednesday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

SSFM/New Garapan Market’s John Paul Espinosa pulls up for a point-blank shot against two Team Familiar defenders during the fourth quarter of their game in the DLX caging last Wednesday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

SSFM/New Garapan Market dominated Team Familia from start to finish to notch its third win in as many games and join idle Jake’s Catering at the top spot of the team standings in the eight-squad league.

The young guns got the job done for SSFM/New Garapan Market as four of them scored in double figures to rout Team Familia, which dropped to a 0-2 record. John Paul Espinosa led SSFM/New Garapan Market with his 21 points, Sean Rabasto added 17, and Djang Ong and Mike Espinosa contributed 13 and 11, respectively as the quartet’s production matched the output of the entire Team Familia.

John Paul Espinosa, the tallest player on the court, made his presence felt early in the match, drilling 8 of his total points in the first period to give SSFM/New Garapan Market a double-digit lead, 21-10.

Team Familia never managed to bring the deficit down to single digit in the remaining three quarters to foil in its bid to barge into the win column. Only Jake and Ben Pelisamen hit double figures for Team Familia, posting 14 and 10 points, respectively. Team Familia missed the services of Larry Sharry, who had scored 8 markers before leaving the game late in the third due to an injury.

In the first game, Island Manpower went all out in the fourth quarter to survive Maplas’ uprising in the third, 81-68 and notch its second straight win.

Island Manpower saw its once double-digit spread, 47-35, down to a hair, 57-56, after Maplas fought back in the third canto. Ed Yalung anchored Maplas’ recovery at the start of the second half, scoring 8 points, while five of his teammates also contributed in the third-quarter rally.

However, Maplas failed to sustain its momentum in the fourth, as it was held to five field goals in the final canto and only three players hit the board for the squad in that frame. Ryan Odicta and Edmark Mendoza had 5 points each, while Yalung was held to 2.

Island Manpower doubled-up Maplas in the fourth and had its most points in a quarter after firing 24 to avoid the second-half collapse. Seven players scored for Island Manpower in the fourth with Jun Tabora putting the finishing touches in their 13-point winning margin after tallying the team’s last 5 points.

First Game
Island Manpower 81 – Olopai 13, Norita 13, Tabora 13, Rangamar 12, Lizama 10, Teregeyo 8, Palacios 6, Tobias 4, Basillo 2.

Maplas 68 – Mendoza 17, Yalung 16, Cortez 11, Odicta 9, Aniciete 8, Salazar 2, Verano 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-18, 47-35, 57-56, 81-68.

Second Game
SSFM/New Garapan Market 86 – J. Espinosa 21, Rabasto 17, Ong 13, M. Espinosa 11, Velasco 6, Bisana 6, Tenepere 4, Palino 3, Echavez 2.

Team Familia 62 – J. Pelisamen 14, B. Pelisaman 10, Sharry 8, R. Pelisamen 8, R. Olopai 6, Kaipat 6, J. Olopai 4.

Scoring by quarters: 21-10, 43-28, 63-42, 86-62.