Tough wins for Blue Haus, Sunrisers

  Defending champion Blue Haus and the Sunrisers kept the Top 2 spots in the team standings in the 2nd Domino Lux International Fraternity/Miller Lite Basketball Invitational Friendship League after slipping past separate foes last Wednesday night at the Gualo Rai Basketbal Court.

The Sunrisers played in the curtain-raiser and improved to a 5-0 record after a 78-75 double overtime win over Crystal Pure/Mekeni Abe, while Blue Haus earned a 4-1 slate, following a 58-55 triumph over Hite Beer.

The victory was the second in a row for Blue Haus, which incidentally had an unfinished business with the Sunrisers, leading their rained-out game last month, 69-53, with a full quarter to go in the match. The inaugural champion took the three-point win after Hite missed four successive free throws in the closing seconds of the match.

Down by only three, 55-58, after Ben Lisua canned a triple from the left key, with 45 seconds, Hite was still in the game after Blue Haus’ Badong Camacho missed a short jumper. Jeong Park grabbed the rebound and threw a pitch to the streaking Lisua. Lisua caught the ball underneath the basket with only one defender chasing him, but instead of going for a quick two, he went to the 3-point area, pulled up for a shot and missed.

Ivan Devero then collared the offensive board and also attempted a triple, but faltered, too. Then for the third time, Dexter Tenorio went for a triple from the top key and tried to draw contact from Camacho. Tenorio’s shot hit nothing but air and there was a lull after the miss shot, as he was asking officials for a foul. None was called, but Hite kept possession as Camacho partially blocked the shot. Hite then had 4.5 seconds to pull up for a game-tying triple, but Tenorio had another airball after again trying to get a foul from his defender and time expired.

Besides going 0-for-4 from downtown in the closing minutes, Hite also went 3-for-5 at the stripe in the last three minutes to falter on its repeated comeback bids.

Junar Guiab top-scored for Blue Haus with 11, while Elmer Esdrelon and Leo Itaas combined for 19, including eight crucial points in the fourth canto to frustrate Hite.

Devero paced Hite with 14, but was a non-factor in the homestretch, as he sat out midway in the fourth and was already cold when he returned to the game. Ben Lisua added 13, but was also at the bench early in the fourth, along with Lauron, who came back midway in the final canto, but could not get the ball inside.

Hite clearly had the advantage in the paint with Lauron, Lisua, Zack Diaz, and Park on its roster, but failed to capitalize, while the much smaller Blue Haus pushed up the tempo of the game to gain control late in the first period.

In the first game of the night, Jawn Joyner, who was held to five points in regulation, drilled 12 markers in the extra 10 minutes to lift the Sunrisers to their fifth win.

Joyner nailed the Sunrisers’ first five points in the first overtime to keep his team in the lead until Crystal Clear’s Quincy Johnson hit a trey in the closing seconds to force a second extension. Earlier in regulation, Crystal Clear also connected on a late triple, courtesy of J.R. Cadag, to send the game in overtime.

In the second overtime, Joyner continued to take charge, scoring eight more points, including four free throws to finally thwart Crystal Clear.

First Game

Sunrisers 78 – Joyner 18, Jos. Sablan 16, Basa 15, Lizama 11, Manibusan 6, Mendez 6, Peters 4.

Crystal Pure/Mekeni Abe 75 – Bernardo 27, Mendoza 13, Cruz 8, Cadag 7, Miranda 4, Johnson 3, Diyco 2, Danipog 2, Lerio 1.

Scoring by quarters: 12-12, 23-27, 44-40, 58-58, 68-68, 78-75.

Second Game

Blue Haus 58 – Guiab 11, Esdrelon 10, Itaas 9, Fernandez 9, Aquino 9, Talania 6, Camacho 2, Tumaquip 2.

Hite Beer 55 – Devero 14, Lisua 13, Lauron 11, Babauta 6, Tenorio 3, Palacios 2, Park 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-17, 32-24, 45-40, 58-55.