Autonomous boosts title-defense bid

Defending champion Autonomous moved a win away from earning a return trip to the finals in the 2008 PTI Inter-Government/Business Basketball League after outlasting the Department of Corrections, 83-69, Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Autonomous pushed the right buttons in the fourth quarter and held Corrections to only a free throw in the first six minutes of the payoff period to advance to the semifinals.

The defending champion will duel Northern Marianas College tomorrow for the second finals ticket and for the right to face PTI in the title showdown.

A depleted Autonomous crew poured in its remaining strength in the fourth canto, outgunning Corrections, 24-7.

Autonomous had only six players available for the game, while Corrections, besides its starting five had four players coming off the bench.

With a limited manpower, Autonomous paced itself well, keeping Corrections within striking distance in the first three quarters, until it found an opportunity to pull away in the fourth period.

Autonomous tied DOC in the first period and was down by only three at halftime, 41-44.

Corrections was still leading by three, 62-59, at the end of the third canto, when Autonomous made its move, launching a 14-1 attack to take a 71-63 lead, with 4:14 left on the clock.

Ed Diaz, who missed Autonomous’ last two playoff games due to an injury, make up for the lost time, leading his team’s scoring binge in the fourth period, firing nine of its first 14 points.

Luis Iguel broke Corrections’ long silence with a fastbreak layup in the 3:44 mark. DOC’s lone point in the first point came from a Maverick Itibus’ split free throw at the start of the fourth quarter.

Iguel along with Jeff Quitugua did not start for Corrections in the fourth period and came in only at the 7:38 mark when Autonomous was starting to grab the momentum of the game.

Corrections next two field goals came in the last one minute of the match when the game was already in the bag for Autonomous after Tim Wesley scored six straight points giving his team a 79-69 lead.

Diaz paced Autonomous with 25 points, while Bobby Coldeen chipped in 22. Wesley finished with 15 markers.

Quitugua topscored for Corrections with 27 points, but was held to four points in the fourth period. Iguel contributed 22, but also had only four markers in the crucial fourth canto.

DOC bowed out of the competition with a 2-2 record in the double-elimination playoffs. It also lost to Autonomous in the first round of the playoffs, 68-82.

Autonomous 83—Diaz 25, Coldeen 22, Wesley 15, Brostrom 6, Aaron 6, Camacho 5.

Corrections 69—Quitugua 27, Iguel 22, Mendez 10k, Itibus 3, Iramk 3, Blas 2, Mendiola 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-all, 41-44, 59-62, 83-69.

Referees: Gilbert Espinosa and Arnold Mesa