IT&E Light in, Docomo out

The playoff cast in the 2019 One Pacific Promotional Basketball League was completed over the weekend with IT&E Light taking the last seat and Docomo Pacific getting the boot.

Docomo seemed to be headed to the postseason after notching two consecutive wins—versus Max’s Restaurant last Tuesday, 95-50, and RNV Construction last Thursday, 71-54, before losing their shot at the playoffs after a heartbreaking loss to Light & Salt, 66-71, last Saturday at the Civic Center Court.

Docomo finished the round-robin elimination with a 4-7 record for ninth place in the team standings. Only the Top 8 will advance to the playoffs and had Docomo won over Light & Salt and IT&E Light lost its last game in the regular season, the former would have gotten the eighth and final playoff ticket. IT&E Light had a 4-6 record, pending the results of its game against RNV Construction last night.

Light & Salt, which had been booted out of the competition since last week, tooks Docomo with them for an early vacation in the 12-team field. Max’s Restaurant and Gilas Batang were the other eliminated squads, while joining IT&E Light in the playoffs are Tsingtao Boys (9-2), Connie’s BBQ (9-2), Mawati (7-3), Pardz Ballers (7-4), Saipan Adventure (7-4), RNV (6-3), and IT&E Dark (5-6).

Light & Salt hit multiple triples in the fourth quarter to play a spoiler role in Docomo’s playoff bid. Light & Salt made four triples—three from Arnold Natividad and one from Rommel Usi. Natividad scored 5 of Light & Salt’s last 9 points.

Natividad top-scored for Light & Salt with his 23 points, while Manibusan had a game-high 26 markers for Docomo, which played in last Saturday’s crucial match without one of its main gunners—Shane Deleon Guerrero.

Deleon Guerrero delivered 22 points in their upset win over RNV last Thursday.

After hanging on to a 18-17 lead in the first quarter, Docomo Pacific gained more cushion against RNV in the next two periods for a double-digit lead, 53-40.

Docomo managed to take a baker’s dozen lead in the third canto and kept its safe distance behind the hot shooting of Tony Diaz, who finished with a game-high 32 points.

Saturday’s Game
Light & Salt 71—Natividad 23, Pineda 16, Embile 11, R. Usi 9, M. Usi 7, Laxamana 2, Claveria 2.
Docomo Pacific 66—Manibusan 26, Diaz 17, Sablan 6, Grow 6, Mendiola 4, Lukas 4, Kaipat 2.
Scoring by quarters: 16-10, 30-27, 52-46, 71-66

Thursday’s Game
Docomo Pacific 71—Diaz 32, Deleon Guerrero 22, Manibusan 8, Hayes 5, Mendiola 4.
RNV Construction 54—Rueda 20, Baul 10, Biscocho 9, Navali 7, Odicta 3, Villacrusis 3, Taraya 2.
Scoring by quarters: 18-17, 36-29, 53-40, 71-54