Basila lifts Country House in overtime

Country House Restaurant leaned on an answered prayer late in regulation and then watched as the opposing team literally broke down in overtime in its 97-90 conquest of Angel Wings early yesterday morning in the semifinals of the 2004 Inter-Restaurant Basketball League at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

With 0.5 second remaining and Country House down 85-82, do-it-all swingman Banjo Basila plucked down a very short 3-pointer by Edward Vega and made the put back while getting fouled by Angel Wings’ Nonie Eugenio.

Basila completed the 3-point play to force extension. In the overtime, the 5’10” forward scattered 7 points and made key defensive stops on Angel Wings’ man-of-the-hour Nonie Yambao to lead Country House to the morale-boosting victory.

It was a heartbreaking loss for Angel Wings, which rallied from several double-digit deficits in the second and third quarters to take an 84-80 spread with 15 ticks to go in regulation.

The lead proved to be not insurmountable, as power forward Joy Dayrit and Basila’s improbably 3-point play sandwiched a free throw from Angel Wings’ Richard Tan.

Angel Wings had difficulty giving chase to Basila and Country House in the extra period, as one by one key players Tan and Yambao collapsed to the floor due to cramps. Eugenio didn’t even play a second in overtime after surrendering his fifth and final foul on Basila.

With Angel Wings’ frontline all but crippled, it was easy pickings for Basila, as he went to town and Country House never looked back. The team now joins early qualifier Capricciosa in the best-of-three championship that begins Monday.

“We never gave up. I told the boys to just play their heart out and that there was still time,” said Country House coach Jake Villanueva.

The team’s brain thrust also got a boost in their crucial encounter against Angel Wings when Visminda coach Boy Garcia, a close friend of Villanueva and Country House manager Koichi Tabei, lent his expertise on the bench.

After the game Basila said he was surprised that Angel Wings fouled him with only seconds left on the clock. He said he wasn’t expecting the game to go into overtime and was just rebounding the missed shot to make the final score close.

“We were beyond desperate. I thought it was a lost game but we were given that gift. That’s why in overtime I made it a point that the opportunity given to us would not go to waste.”

Basila led Country House with 40 points. He also had 8 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, and the same number of blocks. Dayrit was also a force inside totaling 24 points and 10 boards. Vega also added 14 markers and 7 steals.

Guiang paced Angel Wings with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Yambao finished with 20 points, 10 in the fourth quarter. Angel Wings played minus key men Owen Parayno and Marlon Pineda.

Country House 97 – Basila 40, Dayrit 24, Vega 14, Sam Gabriel 5, Mutoc 5, Villanueva 4, Lopez 3, Tabei 2.

Angel Wings 90 – Guiang 23, Yambao 20, Eugenio 15, Sublemente 14, Arago 3, Ocampo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-18, 45-32, 61-55, 85-85, 97-90 (OT).