Jollibee beat Angel Wings, salvages third place

Jollibee clipped the high-flying Angel Wings team, 84-67, to bag third place in the 2004 Inter-Restaurant Basketball League early yesterday morning at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

After a hotly contested first half, the fastfood kings were all business at the start of the third and spotted their opponents by double digits and never looked back.

Best player of the game Edwil Reyes, small forward Chris Marcelo, and underrated power forward Ronald Dulog led Jollibee’s third-quarter charge, scoring 6 points each to give the fastfood kings a 62-51 advantage going into the fourth and final quarter.

Angel Wings, which lost a heartbreaker of a ballgame to Country House a week ago to kiss their finals hopes goodbye, continued to drag their feet in the payoff period.

Whippet-quick guard Butch Sublemente tried to ignite a fire under the bellies of his teammates in the final five minutes, but it was another case of too little, too late and Jollibee rolled on to the easy victory.

Dulog led Jollibee with 24 points and 9 boards. Reyes also played his heart out compiling 22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block shot.

Sublemente carried the fight for Angel Wings the entire game and finished with a game-high 25 points to go with his 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Nonie Yambao chipped in 14 points and the same number of rebounds in the loss.

Both teams started the game like it was more than just a battle for third place. Although Jollibee had a lightning-quick start to take the opening quarter, 25-13, Angel Wings battled back and knotted it all up at 37-all at the break.

But that was all she wrote for Angel Wings, as Jollibee fired on all cylinders come the second half to salvage the win and take third place in the seven-team IRBL field.

Both teams were awarded their second runner-up and third runner-up trophies by league coordinator Jake Villanueva after the match.

The rest of the players for Jollibee are Chito Santos, Ding Luna, Chris Reolope, Donnel Isip, Ding Manlapaz, Jonathan Dela Masa, John Cruz, Ralph Yumul, Ronnel Gamboa, and Omar Ajoste.

Also making up the Angel Wings side are Nonie Eugenio, Richard Tan, Alex Mempin, Robert Guiang, Ricky Vertudez, Owen Parayno, Senen Toriente, Rhey Pradez, Peps Solomon, Conrad Ocampo, Ferdinand Arago, Jhun Djangas, and Marlon Pineda.

Meanwhile, the second game of the best-of-three championship between Country House and Capricciosa is scheduled at 11pm tonight. Country House currently leads the series, 1-0.

Jollibee 84 – Dulog 24, Reyes 22, Lontoc 9, Isip 9, Marcelo 6, Cruz, Luna 4, Reolope 4.

Angel Wings 67 – Sublemente 25, Yambao 14, Eugenio 9, Tan 8, Vertudez 4, Ocampo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 25-13, 37-37, 63-51, 84-67.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Arnold Mesa.