PTI endures DPW to keep pennant bid alive

PTI finished its regular season assignment in the Inaugural PTI Inter-Government/Business Basketball League on a winning note, surviving the Department of Public Works/Procurement & Supply, 82-75, at the continuation of their power-outage suspended game Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The game was first played two weeks ago before the power went off with four minutes, 32 seconds left in the fourth quarter. PTI was comfortably ahead by 15, 78-63.

But what could have been a blowout win for PTI turned into a close match, as DPW/P&S outscored the latter, 12-4 in the remaining minutes of the game.

Hotshot Edgar Pangelinan capitalized on PTI’s sloppy defense, scoring DPW/P&S’s last 10 points, including two triples.

It was a gallant effort for DPW/P&S, which is already out of contention in the playoffs, but still decided to continue their match against PTI.

Pangelinan had another explosive game for DPW/P&S, firing 50 points and nailing 12 triples, the most for a player or perhaps for any team this season.

He was the lone DPW/P&S player to score in double figures.

Kelvin Fitial paced PTI with 16 points, while Elmer Esdrelon and Edsel Mendoza chipped in 14 apiece. Bruce Berline contributed 10, including two of PTI’s four points in the last 4:32 of the game.

The win was PTI’s 10th in 11 games, boosting its chances for the pennant.

The pennant winner will only be decided once Northern Marianas College complete its games. NMC has a 8-1 record and a sweep of its last two games will give the team the pennant, as it beat PTI, 87-82, in the regular season.

PTI started the game against DPW/P&S with only six players and trailed, 16-11, at the end of the first half.

Pangelinan led DPW/P&S’s good start, making 10 points in the first quarter and hitting two triples. He continued to connect his shots from downtown in the second canto, drilling four straight triples at one point in that period to keep DPW/P&S in the lead at halftime, 39-35.

Mendoza and Esdrelon, who came in late for the game, announced their entry in the latter part of the second period and led PTI’s recovery in the third to grab the lead, 65-58, entering the final canto.

PTI started pulling away in the fourth period, but its momentum was halted when the power went off, forcing organizers to reschedule the game.

DPW/P&S could have just called off the resumption of the match, as it was given a slim chance to upset PTI. But DPW/P&S went on fighting, while PTI played around after establishing 15-point lead in the last four minutes of the match.

PTI 82 – Fitial 16, Mendoza 14, Esdrelon 14, Berline 10, Ruszala 6, Del Rosario 5, Watanabe 2, Fuellas 2.

DPW/P&S 75 – E. Pangelinan 50, Tomokane 9, Masga 8, Guerrero 6, Tudela 6.

Soring by quarters: 11-16, 35-39, 65-58, 82-75.

Referees: Eric Artillaga and Michael White.