SSFM/New Garapan Market nears sweep

SSFM/New Garapan Market moved one win away from sweeping the elimination round of the 2015 DLX Invitational Basketball League after pounding Eye Sees, 75-55, last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

SSFM/New Garapan Market’s Andrew Palino, left, challenges the defense of Team Compound’s Kelvin Fitial during last week’s game in the DLX caging at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. SSFM/New Garapan Market is still undefeated this season following a 75-55 rout of Eye Sees last weekend.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

SSFM/New Garapan Market now has a 6-0 record and will go for the sweep tomorrow when it faces the streaking Mawati. The 20-point victory over Eye Sees also gave SSFM/New Garapan Market the No. 1 spot in the eight-team field and the automatic semis berth.

Four players scored in double figures in SSFM/New Garapan Market’s rout of Eye Sees with prized guard Sean Rabasto leading the squad with his 17 points. John Paul Espinosa added 15, while Djay Ong and Mike Espinosa chipped in 13 each.

Rabasto, John Paul Espinosa, and Ong combined for 12 of SSFM/New Garapan Market’s 23 points in the third period to turn a 32-23 halftime lead to a double-digit spread, 55-37, entering the final canto. The trio kept going in the fourth, while Mike Espinosa also hit a couple of baskets in the final frame to finish off Eye Sees.

Eye Sees fell to a 4-2 record for a tie for third place with Mawati and the former lost its chance for the outright semis seat. The two automatic semis spots will go to the Top 2 finishers in the elimination, while the next four will battle for the last two semis tickets and the bottom two will be ousted.

Jake’s Catering is likely to get the second semis berth, as it improved to a 5-1 record following an 85-82 victory against Maplas (1-5) last Friday.

Jake’s Catering withstood Maplas’ fourth-quarter rally to pull off the 3-point win. Jake’s Catering led by as much as 12 in the third period, 68-56, but was threatened in the fourth with Edmark Mendoza anchoring Maplas’ fightback.

Fortunately, Jake’s Catering made crucial free throws in the homestretch to halt Maplas’ rally. Jake’s Catering scored its last 8 points all from the stripe. Feric Aguon knocked in four of those eight charities.

Meanwhile, in the other game last Saturday, Mawati notched its fourth straight victory after downing Island Manpower, 63-60.

Ian Larot powered Mawati to the close victory, scoring the team’s last 4 points, including a pair of free throws. He finished with 10 markers and all of them came in the final canto as Mawati completed a come-from-behind win after facing a 25-38 deficit at the break.

Webb Gontar also contributed in the fourth-quarter recovery, drilling 7 of his 9 markers in the fourth, while Arjay Nonato added 5.

Mawati started climbing back in the third when it held Island Manpower to 8 points and moved within 5, 41-46, with one full quarter to go. Only Syl Teregeyo scored more than one basket in Island Manpower’s third-quarter meltdown and failed to regroup in the final canto to finish the elimination with a 3-4 slate for fifth place.

FRIDAY
Jake’s Catering 85 – Capalad 19, Aguon 17, Rejano 15, Dayrit 8, Ron 6, Montano 6, Rivera 5, Gunnacao 4.

Maplas 82 – Mendoza 21, Pangelinan 16, Odicta 11, R. Usi 10, M. Usi 8, Aniciete 7, Salazar 2, Yalung 2, Claveria 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-16, 38-36, 68-56, 85-82.

SATURDAY
First Game
Mawati 63 – Nonato 15, Larot 10, Gontar 9, Demapan 6, Ibanez 5, Enriquez 4, Rejano 4, Rivera 4, Reyes 2.

Island Manpower 60 – Olopai 15, Teregeyo 13, Norita 11, Rangamar 7, Tobias 6, Lizama 3, Saplam 2, Palacios 2.

Scoring by quarters: 12-18, 25-38, 41-46, 63-60.

Second Game
SSFM/New Garapan 75 – Rabasto 17, J. Espinosa 15, Ong 13, M. Espinosa 13, Palino 8, Bisana 4, Echavez 2.

Eye Sees 55 – Fernando 20, Director 12, Quemado 8, David 5, Muleta 4, Lim 2, Ramatan 2.

Scoring by quarters: 12-7, 32-23, 55-37, 75-55.