TDI vs Mariana Resort for last playoff spot

Top Development, Inc.’s Henry Manipon unloads a jumper against McDonald’s McClain Achas during their game in the JP World caging last week at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. TDI will face Mariana Resort tomorrow night for the last playoff berth. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Top Development, Inc. and Mariana Resort will contest the last playoff berth in the 2nd JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League tomorrow at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

The rubber scheduled for 7pm this Wednesday was set up after TDI defeated Mariana Resort, 92-82, in the second game last Wednesday and CUC won over Docomo, 102-98, in the first match. The four teams finished the round-robin regular season with similar 2-6 records and to break the tie, league officials implemented a quotient system with Docomo ending up at No. 6 and CUC taking the No. 7 slot, leaving TDI and Mariana Resort to battle for the final quarterfinal ticket.

The winner of the TDI-Mariana Resort tiff will face the No. 1-ranked Tan Holdings in the quarterfinals. Tan Holdings prevailed in a three-way deadlock with MBI/KFC and Joeten after the three squads rounded up the regular season with identical 7-1 marks. MBI/KFC dropped to second, followed by Joeten, while Saipan Ice and McDonalds placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

TDI avoided early elimination after rallying past Mariana Resort, which led by as much as 12 in the first quarter, 29-17, before falling apart in the end.

Raymond Velasco and Nestor Arreza alternately helped TDI recover from the early double-figure deficit and by the end of the third period, their team was only behind by a hair, 67-68. TDI went on to complete the come-from-behind win in the final canto with Velasco and Arreza getting assistance from Henry Manipon. The trio combined for 21 of the team’s 25 points in the final canto to outscore the entire Mariana Resort crew, which registered only 14 points.

Velasco finished the game with 37 points, while Arreza added 27. Manipon contributed 12 and Jommel Pollisco also had double figures with 14.

Ryan Manglona led all scorers with his season-high 45 points, but his big offensive game went down the drain, as he failed to get enough support from his teammates.

In the first game, CUC secured a spot to the next round after outlasting Docomo. CUC took the win after dropping five of its last six games.

Eugene Manglona had 36 points in CUC’s important victory, including two clutch free throws that helped seal the deal for the team. CUC scored its last 4 points from the foul line to nose out Docomo, which played catch up right at the get-go.

John Santos, Alain Nunez, and Bo Simada backed up Manglona, chipping in 27, 19, and 16 points, respectively. Ryan Sanciangco top-scored for Docomo with his 29 markers.

First Game
CUC 102 – Manglona 36, Santos 27, Nunez 19, Simada 16, Camacho 4.

Docomo 98 – Sanciangco 29, Diaz 25, Manibusan 14, Joson 11, Mendiola 7, Griffin 4, Sanchez 2, McCale 2, Lizama 2, Sablan 2.

Scoring by quarters: 26-21, 50-43, 75-67, 102-98.

Second Game
TDI 92 – Velasco 37, Arreza 27, Pollisco 14, Manipon 12, Lumayag 2.

Mariana Resort 82 – Manglona 45, Lifoifoi 13, Bansil 11, Capuli 9, Lacbayo 2, Litulumar 4.

Scoring by quarters: 17-29, 41-53, 67-68, 92-82.