Visminda outduels Cavite

Defending champion Visminda-Tambayan has sole possession of the lead in Division A after repulsing a tough stand by Cavite-Country House, 101-94, in the continuation of the 6th Annual Budwesier-Coca-Cola UFO Inter-Organizational Basketball League Sunday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

It was a tight ballgame right from the onset with the star-studded Visminda (3-0) quintet never really getting into a rhythm against Cavite (1-1), which curiously is made up of former Visminda players and coached by Boy Garcia, who sat on Visminda’s bench its past two championship seasons.

After a 21-20 first canto in favor of Visminda, the Tambayan and Nel Atalig-backed team went to work in the second and thanks in large part to the eight points apiece scattered by 2003 MVP Fernando “Pando” Muleta and transferee Errol Peredo, led at the break 50-44.

The status quo was more or less maintained in the third quarter with both teams scoring 24 points each, resulting in Visminda entering the fourth and final quarter ahead by the same cushion it had at the start of the second half, 74-68.

Cavite got a big boost in the fourth when former Visminda hotshot and 2004 finals MVP Banjo Basila got it going in homestretch.

Down by eight points, Basila found a sprinting Bernard Montano, another ex-Visminda cager, for a bucket that cut Cavite’s deficit to 79-85 with 3:37 left in the ballgame.

Although Visminda scored on its next possession, Basila again played decoy and dished off to a wide-open Bogs Dayrit for a 3-pointer that made it an 87-82 ballgame.

After another Visminda score, Dayrit was again left open for a triple and Randy Arconado came through with a runner of his own to put Cavite just a deuce down, 89-87, with 2:32 remaining.

Muleta, however, poured cold water on Cavite’s searing rally when he hit a clutch 14-footer. Montano then drove baseline unsuccessfully instead of setting up the red-hot Dayrit for another three and Visminda capitalized on the miscue when Cosino powered inside for a 91-87 lead.

Cavite, however, would have one more gasp when Basila challenged UFO resident shotblocker Jawn Joyner on a daredevil drive to the basket. Basila made the shot, was fouled, and went on to convert the old-fashioned 3-point play to trim Visminda’s lead to three points, 93-90.

But the celebration would be short-lived as Raymond Tolentino fouled a cutting Bing Marasigan off the ball with Cavite in the penalty. That proved to the beginning of the end for Cavite as Arconado was blocked on the other end and Marasigan again came through with clutch free throws to make it a seven-point game, 97-90, a mere 53 ticks of the clock left in the contest.

Marasigan and Muleta banged in 18 and 17 points, respectively, to lead Visminda, while Joyner, Cosino, and Peredo tossed in 10 points or more in a balanced scoring attack. Cosino and Peredo also shared team-high honors with nine caroms each.

Guard Chris Domingo, one of five former Visminda mainstays in Cavite’s roster, was the highpoint man for Boy Garcia’s boys with 17 points. Cousins Bogs and Joy Dayrit wound up with 14 and 13 points, while Basila contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, and four assists.

Earlier, LIPS-Mobil routed CNMI-Power-Mayor Juan B. Tudela, 94-86, in the first game and Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense-Flor A. Miranda did the same against Bayani-HBR International, 99-76, in the second.

The wins boosted LIPS’ and SIP’s record to 2-0 and 2-1 in Division A and B, respectively, while the losses dropped CNMI Power to 1-2 in Division A and Bayani to 0-3 in Division B.

FIRST GAME

LIPS 108 – Cequena 20, Estolas 17, Ro. Aranda 14, Villarin 13, Soriano 9, Abuy 9, Surima 6, Diaz 4, Espinosa 4, Re. Aranda 3, Canlas 3, Surima 2, Artates 2, Verano 2.
CNMI Power 94 – Camacho 27, Tabora 20, Barrios 14, Pickel 11, Pagkaliwagan 9, Usi 7, Ritual 4, Lauron 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-17, 60-40, 85-67, 108-94.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Dado Vistal.

SECOND GAME

SIP 99 – Garcia 18, Flores 16, Ja. Villacrusis 12, Tamondong 11, Eds. Mendoza 9, Edm. Mendoza 8, Mendiola 6, Jo. Villacrusis 4, Esdrelon 4, Cabrera 2.

Bayani 76 – Tordilla 26, Guzman 16, Agbanlog 6, Borja 6, Poquiz 6, Hilario 6, Limpin 5, Aglubat 4, Villaluz 2.

Scoring by quarters: 40-16, 72-30, 83-51, 92-76.

Referees: Jess Pacheco and Noel Delos Santos.

THIRD GAME

Visminda 101 – Marasigan 18, Muleta 17, Joyner 15, Cosino 12, Peredo 10, Bicera 9, de Guzman 9, Uy 7, De Belen 3, R. Gamboa 2.

Cavite 94 – Domingo 17, B. Dayrit 14, J. Dayrit 13, B. Basila 10, Olayres 10, Manabat 6, Vega 6, Arconado 6, N. Basila 2, Tolentino 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-20, 50-44, 74-68, 101-94.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Noel Delos Santos.