Toyota, Hoopaholics pick up second wins

Toyota Tundra/Bud Light and Hoopaholics/Bud Ice put up successful charges in Wednesday’s 2005 Budweiser Cup BANMI Men’s Island-wide Basketball League, both picking up their second win of the season at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

In the opener, all eight Toyota players scored eight points or more, with seven finishing in double figures as the two-time defending champions cruised to a 102-88 victory over 3’s Construction/National Car Rental.

The win was the second straight for Toyota after losing the season opener.

It was a hard-fought game in the opening half as both teams matched each other well in the first and second periods.

Toyota, which led 32-29 and 57-53 in the two quarters, managed to widen the lead in the third stanza. The two teams struggled to put points on the board as the game tempo slowed down. The defending champions, however, were still able to grab the upper hand and win the quarter to go into the final 10 minutes of play with a 75-65 advantage.

The balanced Toyota scoring continued and helped the team cruise to victory as the final buzzer sounded with Toyota leaving with the 14-point victory margin.

Junior Renguul, Romeo Iginoef, Taj Van Buren, Elias Saralu, Edzel Mendoza, Abong Camacho, and Elias Rangamar each finished in double figures, while Jake Celes added eight points for Toyota.

Kevin Cequena led 3’s Construction with 21 points, while Elbyn Cecilia, Errol Peredo, Jolan Mendoza, and Leo Factor also finished in double figures.

In the second game, the Hoopaholics/Bud Ice notched its second win in as many outings and handed O’Douls/Ol’Aces its second straight loss with an 82-70 victory.

Hoops was right on target in the opening minutes, kicking off its campaign with a 10-0 run to start the game. The Ol”Aces managed to regroup, but found themselves down by 12 points after 10 minutes of play, 13-25.

Hoops stretched its lead in the second period, and after the Ol”Aces closed to within four points midway through the third, coach Rufino Aguon and company used their quick transition to bring the lead back up eight before the period came to an end, 63-55.

Ol’Aces gave one last push, however, it wasn’t enough as Jason Amado and Jeremy Sablan joined forces offensively to cool the effort.

John Sablan led Hoopa-holics with 21 points, while Amado and Sablan added 20 and 12 points.

Jack Lizama and Pedro Iguel paced the Ol”Aces with 17 and 14 points.

First Game

Toyota 102—Renguul 16, Iginoef 15, Van Buren 14, Saralu 14, Mendoza 13, Camacho 12, Rangamar 10, Celes 8.

3’s Construction 88—Cequena 21, Cecilia 17, Peredo 14, Mendoza 12, Factor 10, Dedios 7, Cortez 3, Artates 2, De Guzman 2.

Scoring by quarters: 32-29, 57-53, 75-65, 102-88.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Dado Vistal.

Second Game

Hoopaholics 82—Sablan 21, Amado 20, Sablan 12, Mendiola 10, Manibusan 5, Villacrusis 5, Garcia 4, Hardt 2, Alegre 2, Diaz 1.

Ol’Aces 70—Lizama 17, P. Iguel 14, Barcinas 9, Olaitiman 9, Seman 8, Tagabuel 7, Kaipat 4, L. Iguel 2.

Scoring by quarters: 25-13, 46-32, 63-55, 82-70.

Referees: Jess Pacheco and Noel Delos Santos.