VM, Armatech clobber foes

VM Production and Armatech waltzed past their respective opponents in the masters division of the 2015 San Antonio Community Action Network Basketball League.

VM Production’s Henry Manipon pulls up for a jumper against Maplas defenders during the fourth quarter of their masters game in the San Antonio caging last Wednesday at the San Antonio court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

VM Production whipped Maplas last Wednesday, 93-63, for the former’s second win in three games, while Armatech pounded CES Electronics last Thursday, 95-62, to improve to a 3-1 record. Maplas and CES remained winless in the inaugural season of the league with the latter dropping to a 0-5 slate and the former falling to a 0-3 card.

A balanced offense and much deeper bench allowed VM Production to notch a 30-point winning margin against Maplas. Three players scored in double figures for VM Production with Henry Manipon leading the way with his 18 points and Vhoie Francia and Amor Zapata backing him up after adding 17 and 10, respectively. Six other VM Production players contributed at least 6 points each and three more made it to the board, while Maplas had only seven of their eight players scoring in the blowout.

Despite its depleted roster, Maplas managed to keep up with VM Production in the first half, trailing by only 4, 36-40. Maplas even had the advantage at the end of the first canto, 18-16, behind the pair of free throws from Ralph Surla.

However, VM Production started pulling away in the third with Francia converting a couple of fastbreak layups and the lefty Manipon connecting on his pull-up jumpers. By the end of the third, VM Production widened the gap, 65-49, and it kept going in the fourth to finish off the hapless Maplas.

In the Armatech-CES Electronics tiff, the former also had full control of the match in the second half to deny the latter its elusive first win.

Armatech was only ahead by 6 at halftime, 37-31, as CES made a little headway in the second quarter after facing an 11-24 deficit in the first. However, Armatech regained the double-digit spread in the third period, 68-42, with Bruce Berline asserting his might in the paint, knocking in 9 of his total points in that canto.

Berline went on to top-score for Armatech with his 24 markers, while James Abuy, Manny Duenas, and Martin Moreno also had double figures, chipping in 18, 14, and 12, respectively. Sonny Ebuen led another losing cause for CES, as he tallied 17 points.

Meanwhile, in the second masters game last Wednesday, Blue Haus was holding a precarious 65-64 lead against GMJ/IKKI when the game was halted by rain at the 8:57 mark of the fourth quarter. The match was scheduled to resume last night and results were unavailable at press time.

Wednesday Game
VM Production 93 – Manipon 18, Francia 17, Zapata 10, Ramos 8, Buhay 8, Sanchez 7, Castro 6, Geli 6, Barrozo 6, Marcelo 4, Bondoc 3, Catacutan 2.

Maplas 63 – Surima 20, Manuel 16, Yalung 12, Surla 8, Barrios 3, Salazar 2, Dela Rama 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-18, 40-36, 65-49, 93-63.

Thursday Game
Armatech 95 – Berline 24, Abuy 18, Duenas 14, Moreno 12, Gabaldon 8, Pablo 6, Park 5, Malasarte 4, Canedo 4.

CES Electronics 62 – S. Ebuen 17, Farinas 8, Abadilla 8, Echavez 7, Capuyon 6, Tobias 6, Tibayan 6, O. Ebuen 4.

Scoring by quarters: 24-11, 37-31, 68-42, 98-62.