Blue Haus pulls off OT win in DLX opener

  Defending champion Blue Haus took the long route to victory in the opening day of the 2nd Domino Lux International Fraternity Basketball Invitational Friendship League, eking out a 74-64 overtime win over QQ Rent A Car last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Brandon Talania scored five straight points in closing minutes of the regulation, while Elmer Esdrelon and Badong Camacho fired six markers apiece in the extension to give Blue Haus a good start in the 10-team open league.

QQ Rent A Car, which is composed of some players who suited up for Blue Haus in the inaugural season, dropped its opening game after scoring only two points in overtime and losing Lerio Pagarao, who fouled out late in the regulation. George Cruz gave QQ Rent A Car its lone field goal in the extra five minutes of play off a put-back, going into the final 2:30 minutes of the match.

QQ Rent A Car was still in the game, down by only four, 68-64, entering the last two minutes when Elene Mangali missed one triple after another and Wowie Abuel also muffed a couple of shots from downtown.

While QQ Rent A Car took low-percentage shots in the closing minutes of overtime, Blue Haus opted for sure baskets with Camacho nailing back-to-back field goals underneath the basket. Esdrelon added two more points off a fastbreak layup after Mangali’s sixth straight miss from beyond the arc to seal the win.

Camacho top-scored for Blue Haus with 25 points, while Esdrelon chipped in 16. Talania finished with 13, while Bernard Aquino contributed 10.

Mangali top-scored for QQ Rent A Car with 13, making two early triples and 12 points in the first period for their 21-10 lead. However, he was held to only one free throw in the last three quarters, while Blue Haus started recovering in the second period, holding QQ to nine points to move within two at halftime, 30-28.

Blue Haus then grabbed the driver’s seat by the end of the third canto off Esdrelon’s back-to-back triples, 46-41, while QQ continued to struggle offensively after the break. Esdrelon went cold in the fourth, but Camacho and Talania were there to step up to keep Blue Haus afloat and send the game into overtime.

Mobil Smiles 79, Smart Cagers 72

In the second game, Mobil Smiles exploded for 34 points in the fourth quarter to beat Smart Cagers.

Mobil was behind by nine after three periods, 45-54, when the trio of Angelo Fernando, Jun Estolas, and Gyles Ruluked teamed up in the come-from-behind victory. They combined for 26 of Mobil’s total production in the fourth quarter with Fernando firing 19, Estolas adding nine, and Ruluked chipping in seven. Ernie Moises also contributed in the fourth-quarter attack with his five points, while Bart Demapan had three.

Smarts Cagers scored only 18 points in the payoff period and was limited to five field goals in that canto.

Estolas led all scorers with 27 points, while Fernando finished with 18. Demapan and Ruluked tallied 11 and 10, respectively.

First Game

Blue Haus 74 – Camacho 25, Estolas 16, Talania 13, Aquino 10, Fernandez 6.

QQ Rent A Car 64 – Mangali 13, Cruz 10, Camacho 10, Pagarao 8, Abuel 8, Sison 5, Montes 4, Paraiso 4.

Scoring by quarters: 10-21, 28-30, 46-41, 62-62, 74-64.

Second Game

Mobil Smiles 79 – Estolas 27, Fernando 18, Demapan 11, Ruluked 10, Moises 7, Abuan 2, Dayrit 2, Bicera 1, Factor 1.

Smart Cagers 72 – De Dos 13, Usi 11, Peredo 11, Inos 8, Santos 6, Sacramento 5, Rivera 5, Dayrit 4, Culala 2.

Scoring by quarters: 9-14, 24-32, 45-54, 79-72.