TDI takes second straight win

Top Development, Inc.’s Allen Reyes, center, pulls up for a one-hander against Konstrak Builders’ Ronila Sabidal, left, and Ramon Afonso during the fourth quarter of their game in the JEM/Mobil caging last Tuesday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Top Development, Inc. picked up where it left off, downing Konstrak Builders, 85-73, in the second game in the 2017 JEM Company Ltd./Mobil Customer Appreciation Basketball League last Tuesday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

TDI, which broke into the win column last week following a 75-66 triumph over Mobil/COAG, made it two in a row after surviving Konstrak’s third-quarter rally and playing steady in the fourth.

After falling behind by as much as 11 points in the first half, Konstrak grabbed the upper hand in the latter part of the third period, 57-55, behind the triple of Ronilo Sabidal. However, Konstrak’s stay on top was just short-lived, as TDI quickly regrouped and reclaimed the driver’s seat, 63-59, entering the final canto. Six straight points from Allen Reyes and a pair of free throws from Krisgel Arreza brought TDI back on top after the third quarter.

In the fourth, an 11-3 scoring surge allowed TDI to put the game away for good, as reclaimed its double-digit spread, 74-62, a little over four minutes left in the match. Allen Reyes led the breakaway as he added 6 more points in that stretch.

Allen Reyes was one of the three TDI players to post at least 20 points in their victory against Konstrak Builders. He finished with 28 points, while Raymond Velasco and Jerome Reyes chipped in 21 and 20, respectively.

Allen, Jerome, and Velasco found their targets early as they scored all of TDI’s points in the opening quarter to hand their squad a 24-13 advantage. Konstrak then trimmed the deficit down to 4 at the break, 35-39, as TDI’s trio slowed down, while the former played a balance offense to stay in the game.

Konstrak kept moving closer to TDI in the second half and successfully stole the lead off Sabidal’s 5 straight points in the closing stage of the third, but the former failed to keep its momentum to remain winless in two games.

Meanwhile, in the first game, CUC held McDonald’s to three field goals in the fourth quarter to bag a 72-63 win.

CUC, which improved to a 3-1 record, was just ahead by 3 at the end of the third canto, 58-55, but managed to gain more cushion en route to its 9-point win when McDonald’s misfired in the payoff canto.

McDonald’s drew just one basket each from Joseph and Michael Achas and Sherwin Gaspar for the team’s 8 points in the fourth, which Eugene Manglona alone nearly matched after registering 6 markers. Three other CUC players hit the board in the fourth canto to finish off McDonald’s.

Manglona top-scored for CUC with his 30 points, making up for his free throw woes in their 71-74 loss to Best Deal/RNV Construction last Friday. John Santos and Iramk Simada added 17 and 10, respectively.

Michael Achas had 22 markers for McDonald’s, which absorbed its first defeat in three games.

First Game
CUC 72 – Manglona 30, Santos 16, Simada 10, Poquiz 5, Mizutani 4, Camacho, Lieto 2.

McDonald’s 63 – Mi. Achas 22, Mc. Achas 12, J. Achas 8, Gaspar 7, Gapor 6, Macaranas 5, C. Achas 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-12, 41-35, 58-55, 72-63.

Second Game
TDI 85 – A. Reyes 28, Velasco 21, J. Reyes 20, K. Arreza 8, Barros 4, Ibarra 2, Mafnas 2.

Konstrak 73 – Sabidal 22, Poblete 21, Espejo 9, Bernardo 7, David 6, Alfonso 2, Lenon 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-13, 39-35, 63-59, 85-73.