8th Division, Save More down foes

PC Bargain’s Romualdo Alegre, left, and James Villacrusis block the reverse layup of Save More’s Robert Guiang during the third quarter of their game in the UFO caging last Thursday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Save More/MIFICPA and 8th Division/MAPEA earned double-digit winning margins over their respective opponents in the 2016 UFO/IT&E Inter-Organizational Basketball League last Thursday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Save More played consistent offense en route to an 87-65 victory over PC Bargain/Visminda in the second game. In the curtain raiser, 8th Division finished strong for a 13-point win over Maplas/Akap Pinoy, 77-64.

8th Division got its second straight victory and third overall in five games after downing Maplas, which fell to a 1-3 mark.

Maplas remained afloat in the first three quarters, facing a manageable 9-point deficit, 48-57, going into the fourth period, but failed to neutralize 8th Division’s gunners in the final canto to absorb its third loss.

Kevin Fitial started and ended the fourth frame with a triple, while five of his teammates also contributed in 8th Division’s steady shooting in the final quarter for their baker’s dozen winning margin.

Fitial was among the four 8th Division players who scored in double figures for their team with his 11. Jun Tabora led 8th Division with his 18 markers, while Maverick Itibus and Alex Lauron chipped in 11 and 10, respectively.

Randy Mungcal had 20 points for Maplas, which got 16 from Angelo Fernando. Ken Viray finished with only 10 markers, a far cry from his 30 in their 97-71 rout of Cavite last Tuesday.

In the second game, Save More cashed on its consistent scoring for the easy win and handed PC Bargain its fourth loss after five matches.

Save More had at least 20 points in each of the fourth quarters and blew the game wide open in the third period, as PC Bargain could not keep up with its foe’s good shooting.

By the end of the third, Save More had turned a 47-33 advantage to a 65-43 spread, thanks to Sid Quan’s 8 points in the penultimate quarter. The mobile forward nearly matched PC Bargain’s total output (10) in the third frame.

Save More went on to keep the huge lead, as it just traded baskets with PC Bargain in the fourth quarter.

Quan finished the one-sided match with 16 points, the same production Save More got from Ariel Maesa, while Andy Mortos contributed 10. Six other Save More players added at least 5 points each for the team’s balance offense.
James VIllacrusis, for the fifth straight time, paced PC Bargain with his 18 points.

First Game
8th Division 77 – Jun Tabora 19, Itibus 13, Fitial 11, Lauron 10, Diaz 8, Catalla 6, Alipio 4, Lansang 4, Zapata 2.
Maplas 64 – Mungcal 20, Fernando 16, Viray 10, Galulu 6, Joyner 5, Aniciete 3, Rivera 2, Joson 2.
Scoring by quarters: 13-15, 36-33, 57-48, 77-64.

Second Game
Save More 87 – Quan 16, Maesa 16, Mortos 10, Mangali 7, Viola 7, Sison 6, Mina 6, Sanciangco 6, Guiang 5, Garth 2, Mateo 1, Villanueva 1.
PC Bargain 65 – Ja. Villacrusis 18, Jo. Villacrusis 13, Alegre 10, Manibusan 8, Reyes 6, Cabugawan 4, Munoz 4, Alano 2.
Scoring by quarters: 24-20, 47-33, 65-43, 87-65.