Auto Motion outlasts Old’Aces in OT

Auto Motion had enough gas left to slip past the Old’Aces in overtime, 104-100, during the penultimate Masters division regular season game in 2015 United Filipino Organization Basketball League last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Auto Motion’s Marlon Sison, seen here pulling up for a jumper against three Blue Haus defenders, scored 28 points in their 104-100 overtime win versus the Old’Aces in the Masters division match of the UFO caging last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The close win in the extension period gave Auto Motion a 3-2 record and the temporary No. 2 spot in the team standings behind the unbeaten Blue Haus (5-0). The Old’Aces dropped to a 1-3 slate and will close out the round-robin regular season today when it faces Armatech (2-2). LBT Appraisal (3-2) and Graphics/Star 6 (0-5) complete the field.

Auto Motion lost a 5-point lead with less than minute of the regulation before drawing baskets from five different players in overtime to eke out the 4-point victory. Mico Usi nailed the go-ahead shot for Auto Motion off a feed from Marlon Sison, while Robert Guiang drilled the insurance in the closing seconds. Andy Viola, Noel Mateo, and Joseph Galulu knocked in the three other field goals for Auto Motion, while Tony Luzama, Peter Camacho, and Renguul scored for the Old’Aces.

Renguul also nailed the equalizer in regulation after Elias Rangamar canned a crucial triple and kept the Old’Aces in the game after trailing by 5, 89-94, down to the last 46 seconds of the fourth quarter.

The Old’Aces had to rally in the closing minute of the fourth canto after it lost a shaky 2-point lead, 89-87, with Sison hitting 5 straight points and Guiang adding a field goal for Auto Motion. The Old’Aces then had a chance to win the match in regulation as it had the last possession, however Jessie’s Stole’s long heave just past midcourt in front of the table officials was nullified. The Hail Mary shot went it, but referees ruled the ball was still on Stoll’s hands when the buzzer sounded.

Auto Motion managed to steal the win from the Old’Aces despite trailing by double digits in the first half, 48-37. Sison and Guiang brought Auto Motion back into the game in the third quarter, as the former fired three triples and the latter added 7 points to cut the deficit to 2, 65-67. The match remained close in the fourth quarter and the opposing teams ended up needing extra five minutes to decide the winner of the game.

Meanwhile, league organizers have announced the format for the Masters and U20 division playoffs. The Top 2 finishers in the Masters category will get byes in the first round, while the bottom four will battle for the two remaining semis berths. In the Final Four, the pairings will be No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3 and rankings will be determined via draw lots.

For the U20 division, the top finisher will receive a bye, while the four remaining squads will play in the first round. Winners of the first round matches will join the top finisher in the semis, while losers will duel for the last Final Four seat. In the semis, a draw will also take place to determine the positions of the four remaining squads.

Auto Motion 104 – Sison 28, Guiang 19, Galulu 18, Usi 17, Viola 7, Montes 7, Mateo 6, Villanueva 2.

Old’Aces 100 – Renguul 18, Camacho 18, Rangamar 18, Diaz 16, Manabat 10, Luzama 8.

Scoring by quarters: 21-17, 37-48, 65-67, 94-94, 104-100 (OT).