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TDI notches second victory
Top Development, Inc.’s Raymond Velasco, center, pulls up for a shot against two TanHoldings defenders during an early game in the JP caging at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Top Development, Inc. earned its second win in the 2018 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League after prevailing against Hawaiian Rock, 96-89, last week at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.
TDI banked on a jackrabbit start to survive Hawaiian Rock’s third-quarter rally and hand the latter its third loss in as many matches.
Raymond Velasco anchored TDI’s hot start, scoring 13 points in the first quarter to lift his team to a 35-19 advantage. Big man Darwin Barbo backed up Velasco, adding 8 markers, while five other TDI players also hit the board in the first 10 minutes of play.
Velasco failed to sustain his momentum in the second period, however his teammates stepped in and TDI still outgunned Hawaiian Rock to pad its lead to 20 at the break, 54-34. Nestor Arreza, Lorenso Sefich, and Jerome Reyes combined for 14 of TDI’s 19 points in the second frame to give their team a sizeable advantage.
However, the double-digit lead was trimmed down to 6 at the end of the third canto, 69-75, as Hawaiian Rock caught TDI off guard in the penultimate frame. James Reyes fired up Hawaiian Rock’s early uprising, making 14 points in the third quarter. Dondie Pulga also helped out in the assault, recording 8 of Hawaiian Rock’s last 10 points, including back-to-back triples to threaten TDI.
With their twin-digit lead wiped out, Allen Reyes and Velasco steadied the ship for TDI after knocking in timely baskets that put away the fight from Hawaiian Rock in the final canto.
Velasco finished with a game-high 22 points, while Allen Reyes and Barbo contributed 19 and 18, respectively. James Reyes paced Hawaiian Rock with his 21 markers.
TDI 96 — Velasco 22, A. Reyes 19, Barbo 18, Barros 10, Sefich 8, Arreza 8, J. Reyes 7, Camacho 5, Lumayag 1.
Hawaiian Rock 89 — J. Reyes 21, Cruz 20, Camacho 13, Pulga 12, M. Reyes 11, Baurile 3, Busch 2, Alfonso 2, Janay 2, Canedo 2.
Scoring by quarters: 35-19, 54-34, 75-69, 96-89.
