SIP, Laguna pummel rivals

Laguna-GEC Pawnhop leveled their win-loss record to 2-2, while SIP-Verizon blitzed to their second straight victory as the 2004 UFO-San Miguel Cup resumed Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Seeing action in the curtain raiser, Laguna wiped the floor with LIPS-Jam Construction, 111-79, in a game that, for all intents and purposes, was decided in the first half.

Laguna streaked to a 27-14 advantage after the first quarter, as top guns Randy Arcanado and Ed Palma waxed hot from the field.
Palma continued his streak shooting ways in the second quarter and also got plenty of help from Laguna’s bench as the team opened up a 59-35 king-size lead at the half.

The carnage carried over after the break with Laguna’s lead ballooning to more than 20 points, as eight different players made their mark on the scoreboard. After three quarters of play, the GEC Pawnshop and VM Sablan and Associates-backed team was on top by a whopping 26 points, 84-58.

Coach Jerry “Mutombo” Lopez rested his first-stringers in the payoff period but it didn’t matter as Laguna continued to post big numbers in the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Kelvin Aldan led Laguna’s cleanup crew pumping in 13 of his 18 points at garbage time. Palma went on to pace all scorers with 29 points on top of 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Arconado turned back the hands of time finishing with 21 points and 6 boards.

Former Bayani cagers Edwin Catilo, Ed Yalung, and Jojo Guinto and team top scorer Many Guimalan all came away with 12 points to lead LIPS. Guinto also added 10 rebounds in the loss.

In the nightcap, SIP welcomed two returnees and a newcomer by plastering a floundering MDX Amateur Radio Club team 120-89.

Rookie sensation Jason Amado set the tone for SIP in the match. The sleek swingman shot 13 points on a variety of moves as the three-time champions almost doubled up MDX, 28-15, after the first quarter.

There was not much MDX could do in the second quarter either, as last year’s Rookie of the Year James Villacrusis picked up where Amado left off. The lanky center slithered his way to 9 points to help SIP to a 61-42 edge at the turn.

Amado returned to form in the third and joined forces with fellow young gun Villacrusis and ex-MDX star Peter Mendiola to finally take the starch out of MDX leading 86-68 with only one quarter to go in the ballgame.

Junar Arconado then made his debut unforgettable as he lit up the scoreboard with 12 points in the payoff period. The game against MDX also marked the return of Jester Garcia and Leo Factor to SIP’s lineup.

Amado scored a game-high 31 markers to spearhead SIP’s demolition special, while Villacrusis, Mendiola, Arconado and playing-coach Rick Alegre also put in double-digit scores.

High-flyer Martin Moreno topscored for MDX with 28 points. He also had 7 boards in the losing effort.

First Game

Laguna 111 – Palma 29, Arconado 21, Aldan 18, Badilles 13, Viola 11, Sabino 6, Guiang 5, Sumaoang 4, Ochona 2, Galvez 2, Poquiz 1, Barrios 1.

LIPS 79 – Catilo 12, Yalung 12, Guinto 12, Guimalan 12, Roberto 7, Pe 7, Nato 6, Cantos 6, Desingano 4, Macapagal 2.

Scoring by quarters: 27-14, 59-35, 84-58, 111-79.

Referees: Jess Pacheco and Noel Delos Santos.

Second Game

SIP 120 – Amado 31, Villacrusis 23, R. Alegre 12, Arconado 12, Mendiola 11, J. Garcia 9, Factor 7, Espinosa 7, Mendoza 3, Tamondong 2.

MDX 89 – Martin 28, Rebuyon 16, Sublemente 10, Costales 7, Galulu 7, Malasarte 6, Baetiong 3, Samson 3, Surima 2, Vargas 2, Umali 2.

Scoring by quarters: 28-15, 61-42, 86-68, 120-89.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Gabriel White.