Cabalen, SIP to fight for UFO title

The stage is now set as Cabalen-RP Construction/Transamerica will battle three-time champion Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense-Flor A. Miranda for the championship of the Budweiser-Coca Cola 6th UFO Inter-Organizational Basketball League.

With all teams entering the final round of the semifinals with 1-1 win-loss cards, each knew that whoever came out on top will advance to the best-of-three championship series, while the losers will play for third place.

In the opener, many time all-star Edsel Mendoza made his first appearance in the playoffs and showcased his skills to lead SIP to another finals appearance with a 110-102 victory over LIPS-Mobil.

The game was tight from the start, with SIP clinging to a four-point advantage after the first quarter as Jester Garcia and Rick Alegre combined for 12 points, while Mendoza and Elmer Esdrelon added another nine.

LIPS continued to put on the pressure and remained close in the second quarter. Young guns Kevin Cequena and Rowell Aranda each knocked in six points and Andres “Jhun” Estolas Jr. nailed five free throws. SIP, however, was able to pad its lead to six points as Garcia, Mendoza, and Esdrelon each went off for seven markers to push their team ahead.

LIPS came surging back in the third quarter courtesy of its terrible trio. Estolas drilled in four field goals and a free throw, Cequena broke loose for a couple bombs from downtown and a field goal, and Aranda scored eight points as the Mobil-backed team pulled to within a point, 75-76, with a quarter remaining.

The game then featured a scoring duel by the teams’ leaders as Mendoza and Estolas wrought havoc on the defense. Mendoza was able to work his way for 14 points on field goals and went 4-for-6 from the free throw line for 18 points, while Estolas buried a triple, hit three field goals, and hit eight of nine shots from the charity line for 17 points.

Mendoza was able to get more help, though, as his teammates added 16 points, while LIPS managed to put up just 10 points in support of Estolas.

Mendoza finished as the game’s best player, scoring 39 points and 13 rebounds. Esdrelon added 23 points, while Alegre had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

Estolas led LIPS with 37 points, while Cequena and Aranda had 19 and 14 points, respectively. Aranda also grabbed 12 rebounds.

In the second game, Cabalen dethroned Visminda courtesy of solid play down the stretch for a 113-97 victory.

The game was as tight as it can be in the first three periods. Cabalen opened with an 8-2 run in the first quarter but saw Visminda claw back and pulled to within a point, 20-21, just as the period was coming to an end.

Visminda then swung momentum back to its corner as Jawn Joyner sparked a 14-4 run in the first three minutes of the second period with two triples, his second giving Visminda a 34-25 lead.

Visminda, however, was slapped with a double technical foul, while contesting a foul called on the team when Cabalen’s Elmer Pineda drove the lane with 4:56 remaining. The team was up 37-31 at that point, but Pineda made both his free throws and Ronald Delos Reyes converted all four technical free throws to tie the score, 37-37.

The two teams exchanged baskets from there, and Cabalen was able to maintain its one-point lead, 51-50, heading into the break.

Cabalen began pulling away and stretched their lead to 10 points. However, Visminda fought back and another triple by Joyner followed by a basket by Danny Bicera inside the paint enabled Visminda to regain the advantage, 71-68, with over four minutes left in the period. Cabalen was able to close in, though, and trailed by a point, 71-72, with one quarter left.

A 10-5 run capped by a triple by Eric Dalangin to start the fourth pushed Cabalen ahead, 81-76. Sonny Ranola hit another 3-pointer and after the two teams exchanged baskets, Ranola was able to ignite another run that allowed Cabalen to go up by 10, 90-80, with 4:32 remaining.

Visminda pulled to within seven points on a couple of free throws by Pando Muleta with 4:06 remaining, but that was as close as the team got as Cabalen converted on free throws and Ronald Delos Reyes nailed a long triple with two seconds left on the shot clock and 3:32 on the game clock.

Delos Reyes continued to hit free throws for Cabalen who ended up strolling for the win in the final two minutes.

Visminda was haunted with foul trouble as Ed Cosino fouled out with five minutes remaining. Bicera and Muleta followed suit in the next two minutes, and Bing Marasigan, Joyner, Errol Peredo, and Jorge De Guzman also fouled out, leaving only two players on the court for Visminda to finish the game.

Delos Reyes led Cabalen with 28 points and 13 rebounds, while Ranola and Ed Palma had 19 and 14 points. Dalangin and Alex Ocampo added 11 and 10 points.

Muleta and Cosino led Visminda with 18 points, while Joyner and Peredo had 15 and 13 points.

FIRST GAME

SIP 110 – Eds. Mendoza 39, Esdrelon 23, Alegre 22, agrcia 13, Mendiola 4, Guiab 3, Edm. Mendoza 2, Factor 2.

LIPS 102 – Estolas 37, Cequena 19, Ro. Aranda 14, Diaz 8, Villarin 8, Abuy 4, Soriano 4, Espinosa 3.

Scoring by quarters: 23-19, 48-42, 76-75, 110-102.

Referees: Dado Vistal, Arnold Mesa, and Noel Delos Santos.

SECOND GAME

Cabalen 113 – Delos Reyes 28, Ranola 19, Palma 14, Dalangin 11, Ocampo 10, Arnedo 9, Pineda 8, Cortez 8, Sampang 3, Gatdula 2, D. Barbo 1.

Visminda 97 – Cosino 18, Muleta 18, Joyner 15, Peredo 13, Marasigan 9, R. Gamboa 7, De Guzman 6, Bicera 6, N. Gamboa 1.

Scoring by quarters: 21-20, 51-50, 71-72, 113-97.

Referees: Jess Pacheco, Arnold Mesa, and Noel Delos Santos.