Bayani wins open championship

Bayani rallied from a seven-point deficit in the last five minutes to beat Mover, 96-86, in Game 3 of their do-or-die championship in the 2006 SIP Inter-Color Basketball League open division Tuesday night at the CMS Basketball Court in Gualo Rai.

After Mover guard Elmer Esdrelon pushed his team ahead 73-66 with a layup at the 5:28 mark of the contest, Bayani seemed all but finished.

But fortunately for coach Lito Salas, Bayani players had one more run left in them and to everyone’s surprise, the team’s late-game surge was not led by Andres “Jhun” Estolas Jr. but former Visminda slotman Jawn Joyner.

Joyner kicked off his heroics by slicing Mover’s lead with two uncharacteristic hits from the free throw line that cut Bayani’s deficit to three, 70-73.

After teammate Gyles Ruluked made it just a candlestick lead for Mover, 75-74, Joyner came up big once again, this time on the defensive end when he rejected a pull-up jumper by Chris Domingo with 2:59 left.

In the ensuing play, Domingo fouled out trying to get the ball back from Estolas and his ouster deprived Mover a steady hand at the point guard position in the dying minutes.

Estolas made one of two free throws to tie the game at 75-all and after another hurried possession by Mover, Joyner struck again with a layup to give Bayani the lead for good, 77-75, time down to 2:31.

Bayani extended that advantage to six points, 83-77, after a Marlon De Dios fastbreak layup, but Mover scored four of the next five points to get within striking distance, 84-81, with 1:15 left.

That’s when Joyner asserted himself again, escaping a phalanx of Mover defenders and scoring on a pretty finger roll with a foul to boot.

His 3-point play shoved Bayani in the cusp of the championship, 87-81, with only 58 ticks remaining in the contest.

The rest of Joyner’s teammates then wrote finis to Mover’s title hopes as they converted on just enough attempts from the free throw line, as the Bayani bench and the team’s faithful in the stands exploded in celebration as the final buzzer sounded.

Bayani finished the game the way it started it.

Rugged forward Junar Guiab set the tone early as he bullied his way for nine points to help his team erect a 21-12 lead after the first quarter.

Mover players seemed to be sleepwalking even at the start of the second before Esdrelon gave them a spark.

The fleet-footed Fiesta Resort and Spa employee exploded for 13 second quarter points—including three straight from rainbow country—as he single-handedly trimmed Bayani’s advantage to just two points, 39-37, at the break.

Mover carried that momentum into the third quarter but Bayani clawed its way back to make it a seesaw affair.

After Ruluked gave Bayani back the lead, 52-51, Mover outscored them 11-6 in the final 3:06 capped by a buzzer-beater by Domingo to enter the fourth and final quarter on top, 62-57.

And judging how the team always played catch-up in Games 1 and 2, Mover coach Tony “Peyton” Gabriel probably was feeling good of the team’s chances for the championship.

That optimism, however, proved short-lived, as Bayani scored the first six points of the payoff period to make a game of it. Moments later, Joyner then provided the late-game heroics.

Joyner led all scorers with 27 points, while Errol Peredo and Estolas fired 16 and 15 points, respectively. Ruluked and Guiab also broke into double digits with 15 and 12.

Darwin Barbo finally gave Mover the inside option it lacked in Game 2 and powered his way for 22 points. Despite sitting during crucial moments in the third and fourth quarters, Esdrelon still finished with 20 points, while burly center Joy Dayrit scrapped his way to 11 markers. Domingo shot 10 before fouling out.

Bayani 96 – Joyner 27, Peredo 19, Estolas 16, Ruluked 15, Guiab 13, De Dios 4.

Mover 86 – Barbo 22, Esdrelon 20, Dayrit 11, Domingo 10, Barrios 7, Mendoza 6, Marasigan 4, Gamboa 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-12, 39-37, 57-60, 96-86.

Referees: Tom Alegre, Rick Alegre, and Gilbert Espinosa.