Oh My J gets first win

Oh My J avoided a second heartbreaker after eking out a 51-46 win over Eh Di Wow in their game in the 2015 Blue Haus/IT&E Inter-Color Basketball League last Sunday at the Navy Hill court.

Eh Di Wow’s Leo Itaas slips past the defense of Oh My J’s Ferdie Tobias, left, but rams into burly forward Ronald Hilario during the second half of their game in the Blue Haus-IT&E caging last Sunday at the Navy Hill court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Oh My J, which wasted a 10-point lead en route to dropping its opener against Hard Kulangot last Saturday, this time played steady in the closing minutes of its match opposite Eh Di Wow to make it to the win column. With its 1-1 record, Oh My J is now in a five-way logjam for second to sixth place in the team standings with Hard Kulangot, Purple Rain, Kidlat, and Wag Kang Pabebe. Eh Di Wow is at the bottom of the field with its 0-2 slate, while Makalaro Lang and Pasion De Amor are tied for the lead with identical 2-0 marks.

It was déjà vu for Oh My J when it took a double-digit spread against Eh Di Wow, 45-35, only to be threatened in the last three minutes of the match. Eh Di Wow went for a quick 5-0 run off back-to-back layups from Lerio Pagarao and Allen Reyes and a split from the former to stay in contention.

Eh Di Wow had a chance to move closer after a botched offensive set from Oh My J, however an errant pass from Neil Espinosa returned possession to Junar Guiab and company. The Oh My J captain then scored on a drive against Pagarao, who later tried to make a touchdown pass to Reyes, but the heave was way too high and the ball went out of the baseline.

Oh My J converted another shot off Eh Di Wow’s miscue with Mark Asuhan making a layup and giving the former a 49-40 advantage, down to the last minute of the game. Oh My J then regained the double-digit spread, 51-40, off Ferdie Tobias’ pair of free throws, while Jerome Reyes scored 5 straight points for Eh Di Wow to peg the final score.

Guiab and Nate Mateo top-scored for Oh My J with 13 points each, while Asuhan chipped in 12. Tobias and Galulu completed Oh My J’s box score, adding 7 and 6, respectively. Pagarao was the lone double-figure scorer for Eh Di Wow with his 16 markers.

Meanwhile, Makalaro Lang goes for the solo lead today when it takes on Kidlat at 5:30pm. There is also only one game this Friday with Red Rice (0-2) battling fellow winless squad Eh Di Wow. The two-game schedule will resume this Saturday and Sunday. Hard Kulangot will meet Pasion De Amor in the opener this Saturday at 4pm, while Purple Rain duels Oh My J in the second match. On Sunday, the pairings are Wag Kang Pabebe versus Eh Di Wow and Hard Kulangot against Red Rice.

Oh My J 51 – Guiab 13, Mateo 13, Asuhan 12, Tobias 7, Galulu 6.

Eh Di Wow 45 – Pagarao 16, Itaas 8, J. Reyes 5, Santos 4, Cortes 4, Corpuz 4, A. Reyes 2, Espinosa 2.

Scoring by quarters: 23-15, 51-45.