SSFM beats Flip Top, secures second victory in DLX caging

SSFM’s Ferick Aguon goes up for an acrobatic shot after slipping past Flip Top defenders during the third quarter of their game in the DLX caging last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The win was second in a row for SSFM, which prevailed in its debut game against Mawati last week, 65-62, while Flip Top dropped its opener.

DJ Ong sizzled for 33 points in SSFM’s second victory. He nailed 11 of his total markers in the fourth quarter, including six free throws in the closing minutes of the match to thwart Flip Top. Ong and company led by as much as 16 points in the third period, 80-64, but Jun Estolas and Perry Inos fought back for Flip Top late in the third and in the fourth to cut the deficit to single digit. With Flip Top threatening, Ong countered, while Cecilio Bisana and Ferick Aguon also scored basket in streaks in the fourth to keep SSFM’s safe distance. Aguon drilled five straight points early in the fourth, while Bisana fired four of SSFM’s last eight points and had six in the payoff canto.

SSFM took the win despite having a short-handed lineup. SSFM had only six players available for the match and all of them broke into double figures. Ed Echavez contributed 11, eight of them came in the first frame that ended with SSFM ahead, 30-23. Ong also recorded eight points in the first period.

Bisana, who was held to one field goal in the first quarter, started the second with three straight baskets and finished with eight in that period, teaming up with Ong in giving SSFM a 12-point halftime lead, 59-47.

Ong and Bisana continued anchoring SSFM’s offense in the third period, exchanging baskets with Estolas and Inos. The SSFM duo combined for 15 points in the third and kept going in the fourth, drilling timely baskets in the end to spoil Flip Top’s debut.

In the second game, Gwap Gang also reached past the century mark en route to a 105-52 demolition of Mawati.

It was the second time Gwap Gang recorded at least 100 points, as it pounded Ghasias Brothers in its first assignment last week, 100-73.

Gwap Gang blew the game wide open in the third, turning a 40-28 advantage to a huge 72-37 lead. Five Gwap Gang players scored at least four points each in the breakaway, while Mawati made only four field goals in the third-quarter meltdown.

Prince Factor led Gwap Gang’s lopsided win, tallying 24 points. Big man Kelvin Fitial added 18, while fellow frontliner Erick Dela Rosa chipped in 17. Shane Deleon Guerrero and Jared Ano had 12 and 11 markers, respectively, for Gwap Gang, while Rocyl Ritual was the lone double figure scorer for the winless Mawati with his 25 points.

First Game
SSFM 110–Ong 33, Bisana 24, Aguon15, Echavez 11, Tobias 11, Espinosa 10.

Flip Top 103–J. Estolas 34, Inos 25, B. Estolas 18, Estanislao 8, Isip 4, Toribio 2, Manangan 2, Jacob 2.

Scoring by quarters: 30-23, 59-47, 84-76, 110-103.

Second Game
Gwap Gang 105 – Factor 24, Fitial 18, Dela Rosa 17, Deleon Guerrero 12, Ano 11, Kwon 8.

Mawati 52–Ritual 25, Reyes 9, Enriquez 6, Gontar 5, Serrano 4, Pena 3.

Scoring by quarters: 26-13, 40-28, 72-37, 105-52.