Sweeter the second time around

For Toyota Ol’Aces I playing-coach Elias Rangamar winning the championship of the 2004 Budweiser Cup brought out the competitive juices of his team, which lay dormant after the BANMI league was canceled a year ago.

Clinching the title against bitter rival APC Brothers also couldn’t have been sweeter for Rangamar, especially after the spitfire guard didn’t appreciate how players from the other side celebrated when he fell hard on the floor in Ol’Aces I’s 93-98 loss in their second round match last April 14.

“I was really hoping to meet them [Brothers] in the championship. It’s a good rivalry and we [Ol’Aces I] always love a great series. We got the better of them in the first round and they got back at us in the second. The finals is a good way to finally settle the score,” he said prior to the start of the best-of-three championship.

In Game 1 last Monday, Ol’Aces I dominated play after a nip-and-tuck first quarter and leaned on a barrage of 3-pointers by Rangamar in the fourth and key steals and putbacks by reserve center Edsel Mendoza in the dying seconds to win 111-108.

Despite the virtuoso performance in crunch time, Mendoza still refused to take credit for the victory pointing to his teammates for making things happen.

“I’m getting old, man. Good thing Peter [Camacho] got things going for us offensively and coach [Rangamar] bombed away from outside in the payoff period. I just wanted to make plays and luckily I was able to contribute,” he said.

Even starting center Abong Camacho was hats off to Mendoza’s endgame heroics. He was heard telling the 6’1” many-time national player after the game, “ Thanks Ed for bailing me out,” after Camacho was rendered ineffective in the second half by Brothers’ swarming defense.

In Game 2 Wednesday, Brothers exploded from the gates eager to square the series at a game apiece. After leading by only 4 points after the first, Brothers opened up double-digit leads in the second.

But all of a sudden, the game turned physical. Brothers, an emotional team according to Rangamar, got caught trying to win another kind of game against the savvy Ol’Aces I crew and paid dearly for it.

After leading 51-43 at the half, Brothers saw their vaunted fastbreak game fall into pieces in the third quarter. Peter and Abong Camacho also flexed their muscles in the period and this plus Ol’Aces I’s scrambling defense combined to snuff out Brothers and Ol’Aces I took a commanding 77-68 edge after three quarters of play.

In the fourth, Brothers roller-coaster effort continued as they came within a point of Ol’Aces I’s lead only to fall back by 8 again minutes later.

With the game in the balance, Brothers compounded their woes when Oscar Ada and Ed Diaz all together missed nine free throw attempts in the fourth. But through all that, Brothers still had plenty of chances to force the game into OT.

Finally a defensive lapse that left Ol’Aces I inside operator Romeo Iginoef alone for an uncontested layup drove the final nail on Brothers’ coffin.

And although a fight between Abong Camacho and Brothers’ ace Freddie Peliseman marred an otherwise classic ballgame, there was still no denying that Ol’Aces I’s back-to-back championships was a feat the team fought hard for and truly deserved.

“That’s all part of the game. It’s a bit sad that it all had come to that but a championship is a championship,” said Rangamar immediately after the ballgame.

Peter Camacho also congratulated Brothers for a good series. “They didn’t made it easy for us. They had us sweat for this championship. Hey, I give them credit they played hard. This is a total team effort. We came out strong and decided to play defense.”

During the awards ceremony immediately following Game 2, MARPAC representative Nathan Sablan handed out team and individual trophies.

Diablo scoring machine Dave Sablan was named 2004 Budweiser Cup scoring champion, Tony Diaz of Brothers was adjudged regular season MVP, while Peter Camacho was finals most valuable player.

Lebwel won the sportsmanship award, Diablo took the third runner-up trophy, followed by Cougars who got third place and $200 in cash. Brothers won the second place trophy and $300 in cash, while Ol’Aces I took home both the pennant championship and the overall title that came with a $1,000 prize money.

Rangamar said the money will be used to accrue the expenses of Tinian residents John Santos and Keith Nabors, pay for the victory party and will be donated to the Division of Sports and Recreation.

Other members of the team are Alfred Celes, Mel Tagabuel, Shane Ogumoro, Elias Saralu, Wayne Pua, Junior Renguul, and Gyles Ruluked.

In 2002, Ol’Aces I won the Budweiser Cup after steamrolling past the CNMI National Team in the finals.