TBK vs Island Manpower in finals

TBK Mechanic’s Ivan Devero pulls up for a game-winning jumper against San Antonio’s Bryle Alegre during the closing seconds of their semis game in the DL Corp. caging last Thursday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Ivan Devero made the dagger, a 15-foot jumper from the left key against San Antonio’s Bryle Alegre in the closing seconds of the exciting battle for the last finals seat. After Devero’s back-breaking basket, San Antonio was left with 1.6 seconds to set up a shot, but Darwin Barbo failed to counter with a game-saving basket, as he was too deep under the basket and was fully covered in the baseline by TBK’s Jake Quitugua with the ball hitting the lower part of the backboard as time expired.

Devero’s big jumper came after Jack Aranda put San Antonio on top with his drive from the left wing and the ball rolling back into the basket, 7.9 second left on the clock. With no timeout left, TBK rushed the inbound play with Devero getting the pass and streaking to their frontcourt, as San Antonio’s defense had not been set. Devero went on to capitalize on San Antonio’s defensive lapse, as he stopped and popped for the jumper against Alegre, who was the last line on defense, but was a few steps away from Devero, giving the TBK gunner a good look at the basket.

TBK’s 1-point win against San Antonio was a fitting finale of the seesaw battle, which saw the latter taking a 26-12 lead. A 30-10 scoring run in the second canto swung the lead to TBK at the break, 36-42, but San Antonio grabbed it back after the third, 62-54. San Antonio kept the upper hand in the first half of the final canto, but TBK recovered and forced the last deadlock, 72-all, going into the last three minutes of the match. Back-to-back baskets from Kobee Mendoza and Prince Factor off the former’s assists helped San Antonio regain the lead, but TBK hung in there, 75-76, with Devero hitting a fastbreak layup and Quitugua splitting his charities.

Quitugua faltered on his second free throw and missed another chance to move ahead when Raymond Velasco took a hurried triple with still 38.4 second left in the game and 20 seconds on their shot clock. San Antonio got the possession and Jaymark De Guzman drew a foul in the pain after a counter steal on Quitugua. De Guzman went on to muff the two important free throws, but fortunately Alegre hustled for the ball and forced a jump on Quitugua. San Antonio regained the leather with the possession arrow pointed at its side to have another chance to gain more cushion, however De Guzman committed another booboo. His short pass to Mendoza from the left key outside the 3-point area was telegraphed by Nate Mateo, who went all the way for the fastbreak layup that gave TBK the lead, 77-76, 26.3 seconds remaining on the clock.

TBK sued for time after wrestling back the driver’s seat, but failed to prevent Aranda from converting the go-ahead drive at the resumption of the play. However, Devero went on to bail out TBK in the end with his pull-up jumper.

Meanwhile, Island Manpower cruised to the finals with a 92-65 domination of the Shocker Nation in the first semis match.

Island Manpower led right at the get-go and kept its safe distance against Shocker Nation in the last three quarter. It led in the first period, 19-11, with six Island Manpower players making it to the board, and stretched the advantage to 16 at halftime, 45-29, as it continued to distribute the wealth in the second frame.

Shocker Nation never made a big comeback in the second half, allowing Island Manpower to notch the first finals berth with ease. Island Manpower had four players finishing in double figures in the lopsided victory, while four others combined for 27 points. Only three players had twin digits for Shocker Nation and the rest picked up garbage points.

The Island Manpower-TBK winner-take-all finals was set for last night and results were unavailable at press time.

First Game
Island Manpower 92 – Bisana 15, Tabora 14, Norita 11, Pangelinan 10, Lizama 8,Teregeyo 8, White 5, Tobias 4.
Shocker Nation 65 – Saturno 13, Vertudez 11, De Leon 11, Villanueva 8, Dela Cruz 7, Palacios 4, Cadiang 4, Demapan 4, Deleon Guerrero 2.
Scoring by quarters: 19-11, 45-29, 65-45, 92-65.

Second Game
TBK 79 – I. Devero 23, Velasco 13, C. Devero 12, Quitugua 9, Mateo 8, Santos 4.
San Antonio 78 – De Guzman 15, Alegre 14, Aranda 13, Barbo 8, Factor 8, Espinosa 6, Arciaga 6, Mendoza 4, Dela Rosa 1.

Scoring by quarters: 12-26, 36-42, 62-54, 79-78.