Cabalen beats MDX, alone on top

Cabalen-RP Construction/Transamerica had a big lead, gave it up before regrouping in the end to thwart MDX Amateur Radio Club-Armatech, 101-95, in the continuation of the 6th Annual Budweiser-Coca Cola UFO Inter-Organizational Basketball League Saturday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Seeing action in the second game of the doubleheader, Cabalen (3-0) led MDX (2-1) by four points, 24-20, after the first quarter but then overwhelmed their opponents by bringing in fresh players every so often from the bench in the second to go on top, 52-37, at the break.

In all, a total of 11 Cabalen players scored a point or more in the team’s second quarter surge.

MDX rallied and eventually took the lead in the third quarter behind the 3-point sniping of Jomer Diyco. The burly forward connected on three hits from the land of last resort en route to scoring 15 points in the period to help MDX take a one-point lead, 68-67, going into the fourth and final quarter.

Cabalen continued to grope for form in the payoff period until center Ronald Delos Reyes cashed in on one of two heaves from the free throw line to tie the count at 75-all with time down to 6:27.

Following a mad scramble for the ball, Cabalen returnee Ed Palma was left alone for a fastbreak layup that gave his team its first taste of the lead since the third canto, 77-75, with a little over six minutes remaining in the ballgame.

Delos Reyes and Palma would star on the next two possessions for Cabalen, which gave the team an 81-75 spread. Swingman Randy Arnedo then made good on four straight free throws, the last pair giving Cabalen an even 10-point advantage with 3:55 to go.

Although, MDX would have one last hurrah when Marlon De Dios trimmed the lead, 89-84, on a stickback, Palma retaliated quickly on the other end and then fed Darwin Barbo on a nifty assist to put the game out of reach, 93-85, with only 1:07 left.

Palma and former-SIP gunner Sonny “Sunshine” Ranola paced Cabalen with 18 points apiece, while Diyco and rookie Jolan Mendoza led MDX with 20 points each. De Dios and Delos Reyes were also monsters off the backboard for their respective teams, hauling down 20 rebounds between them,

In the first game, 287 Club-McDonald’s (1-2) got 20 points from veteran Ariel Jinang and 14 points, eight rebounds, and six assists from playmaker Ferdie Tobias as the team routed Bibak-Island Card, 100-74.

Newcomer Amorsolo Casabuena paced Bibak (0-3) with 16 points and eight boards, while old hand Bobby Vargas netted 14 points and seven rebounds in the loss.

First Game

287 Club 100 – Jinang 28, Tobias 14, Gapor 10, Mi. Achas 8, Rebuyon 8, Peleno 7, J. Achas 2, Balbuena 2, Ma. Achas 2, Lizo 1.

Bibak-Island Card 74 – Casabuena 16, Vargas 14, Padolina 9, Almendras 8, Ong 8, Ardales 5, Sanciango 5, Pacheco 1.

Scoring by quarters: 23-18, 48-38, 73-48, 100-74.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Jess Pacheco.

Second Game

Cabalen 101 – Palma 18, Ranola 18, Cortez 15, Delos Reyes 10, D. Barbo 8, Arnedo 8, Canlas 6, Mungcal 4, Ocampo 3, Sampang 2, G. Barbo 2, Pineda 2.

MDX 95 – Mendoza 20, Jo. Diyco 20, Devero 15, Moreno 8, Sublemente 5, Umali 5, Guinto 2, Pambid 2,

Scoring by quarters: 24-20, 52-37, 67-68, 101-95.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Dado Vistal.