Gwap Gang completes semis cast in MDX caging

Gwap Gang?s Mike Ito stretches to get the ball in this rebound play against Docomo?s Tony Diaz, while Juan Camacho looks on during the third quarter of their playoff game in the MDX caging last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Gwap Gang withstood Docomo Pacific’s repeated rallies to pull off a 75-67 win in their playoff game in the 2014 MDX Amateur Radio Club Basketball League last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.
With the victory, Gwap Gang advanced to the semifinals and will be facing regular season top finisher San Antonio in the second Final Four match tomorrow at 8pm.

Gwap Gang led by as much as 12, 51-39, in the second half and was still ahead by twin digits, 70-60, at the 2:30 mark of the fourth quarter when Cecilio Bisana scored 5 straight points off a triple and a layup for Docomo’s final push, 65-70, with 2:07 left on the clock.

Docomo had a chance to move closer when Gwap Gang missed on the other end, but Tony Diaz also muffed a triple, while an undergoal stab by Kelvin Fitial gave Gwap Gang more cushion. Docomo failed to convert another shot from downtown, while Rodney Sacramento nailed a fastbreak layup to seal it for Gwap Gang, 74-65, with less than a minute left in the game. Docomo faltered four more attempts in the closing seconds and made only two free throws in the last two minutes of the match to kiss its semis bid goodbye.

Docomo played catch up in the third quarter, as it lost a 34-31 halftime lead after scoring only 15 points against the 26 of Gwap Gang in that period. Sacramento and Fitial connived in the third-quarter assault, firing 8 and 7 points, respectively, while Shane Diaz chipped in 5.

A Fitial feed to Lester Vertudez in the paint right into the opening seconds of the fourth canto gave Gwap Gang 2 more points and padded its lead to 10 before Docomo answered with three quick baskets to stay afloat.

However, Docomo failed to keep its momentum and lost focus in the ensuing minutes due to confusions in the scores. After Vertudez canned a 2-point field goal, people manning the scorers’ table inadvertently added 4 points to Gwap Gang. Docomo continued to contest the scores, while Gwap Gang hit two more field goals to gain more distance. Finally at the halfway mark of the fourth, the scores were corrected with Gwap Gang ahead by only 10, 65-55.

A 10-5 run in the next two minutes of play, capped by Bisana’s string of 5 points, kept Docomo in the game, but again it failed to complete the comeback bid, allowing Gwap Gang to take the fourth and last semis berth.

Earlier in the first game, the Pelicans bagged the third semis seat after ousting TBK Mechanics, 65-60.

Leo Galarse powered the Pelicans to the close win, scoring 30 points, while Don Brennan chipped in 12, including 4 of the team’s last 5 points. Galarse drilled the Pelicans’ last point and he had 16 in the fourth quarter alone, tallying 9 straight markers at one point to keep the squad’s distance.

With the victory, the Pelicans will duel IT&E in the first semis tiff tomorrow at 6pm. IT&E automatically advanced to the semis after placing second to San Antonio in the regular season, as the former earned a 6-3 record against the latter’s 7-2.

First Game

Pelicans 65 – Galarse 30, Brennan 12, Babauta 8, Camacho 5, Bahillo 3, Yamada 2.

TBK Mechanics 60 – I. Devero 18, Guiab 8, C. Devero 9, Velasco 8, Mateo 8, Sablan 3, Che 2.

Scoring by quarters: 10-10, 27-24, 41-40, 65-60.

Second Game

Gwap Gang 75 – Fitial 20, Sacramento 15, Diaz 13, Vertudez 11, Ito 7, Ano 3, Yap 2.

Docomo 67 – Bisana 14, Villacrusis 13, Diaz 12, J, Camacho 10, D. Camacho 7, Sison 5, Sanciangco 2.

Scoring by quarters: 14-11, 31-34, 57-49,
75-67.