ATM arranges title duel vs PTI

Autonomous lost against Northern Marianas College in their first two meetings, but when the defening champions finally did, it was big, as the prize was a championship ticket to the Inaugural PTI Inter-Government/Business Basketball League.

The former Office of Public Auditor notched a masterful 81-62 victory over NMC Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium to set up a title showdown with first finalist PTI.

Autonomous knocked down four triples in the last 5:18 of the game to foil NMC’s finals bid. NMC had a chance to secure the first finals seat, but lost to PTI in the semifinals, 90-94, putting the Rufino Aguon-coached squad to a do-or-die-game against Autonomous.

Ed Diaz made sure Autonomous will live for another day to defend their title when he drilled three of those four triples in the fourth period.

His first was a crucial one as it gave Autonomous back the lead after Gyles Ruluked’s undergoal stab, off a drop pass from Mel Manibusan, put NMC in the driver’s seat, 62-61, with 5:18 remaining on the clock.

After Ruluked’s basket, Autonomous set up its offensive play with Diaz on the firing end, making a booming triple on the right sideline to give Autonomous a 64-62 advantage.

The defending champion never relinquished the driver’s seat from thereon, as Diaz canned two more triples and Bobby Coldeen added one, while NMC went scoreless in the last five minutes of the game.

Diaz connected on his second triple in the fourth quarter after Tim Wesley made a perfect feed to Richard Brostrom, who made a reverse layup.

After hitting his second trey, Diaz performed well on the defensive end, holding his ground against Joe Villacrusis, who gave a moving pick for teammate Mark Wallace and was called for an offensive foul.

Both teams traded misses in the ensuing plays until Coldeen made a dagger, drilling a triple on the left key with the 24-shot clock wining down and giving Autonomous a 72-62 advantage, with 2:34 left in the game.

NMC sued for time hoping to bring order back to the team, but the lull failed to produce dividends for the pennant champion as it missed three successive shots. Wallace and Lawrence Buniag muffed their triples, while Jerry Diaz missed a point-blank shot as he was intimidated by the outstretched arms of Brostrom.

Wesley showed NMC players how to make a basket, cruising his way past two defenders and nailing a layup in the last 1:30 of the game.

NMC continued to suffer misfortunes in the remaining minutes of the match, as Wallace who escaped past his defenders and was going to the baseline lost the ball which hit his foot first before going out.

Diaz put the final nail on NMC’s coffin, drilling his third triple exactly on the same spot where he made his second giving Autonomous a safe 77-62 lead, with less than a minute left in the game.

Diaz finished with 27 points, while the four other starters for Autonomous also scored in double figures with Coldeen chipping in 13. Ponce Rasa, Brostrom and Wesley had 11 markers each.

Wallace still top-scored for NMC wit 24, but was held to four points and one field goal in the fourth quarter. Joe Villacrusis added 15 and Gyles Ruluked contributed 10 off the bench.

NMC won over Autonomous in the regular season via forfeiture and made it 2-0 when it whipped the depleted defending champions in the second round of the playoffs, 88-77.

But the heavily favored NMC failed to pull off a win when it was needed the most, allowing Autonomous a return trip to the finals.

Autonomous made it into the finals despite playing with only six players. NMC had a complete lineup, but its starting five did not get much support from its bench.

The battle for the last finals ticket was intense, particularly at the start of the fourth period when Jerry Diaz and Rasa collided in an Autonomous’ fastbreak play. Players pushed each other and exchanged dagger looks, but referees and their respective teammates stepped in, preventing an on-court scuffle.

The PTI-Autonomous title duel will begin tonight with the former enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage in the finals.

Autonomous 81—Diaz 27, Coldeen 13, Rasa 11, Wesley 11, Brostrom 11, Camacho 4.

NMC 62 – Wallace 24, Villacrusis 15, Ruluked 10, Manibusan 4, Buniag 2, Villagomez 2, Roberto 2, Diaz 2.

Scoring by quarters: 14-10, 28-all, 52-48, 81-62.

Referees: Dado Vistal and Gilbert Espinosa.