Century, Reliance upset foes

Upsets marked Sunday’s resumption of action in the Inaugural 2008 PILCOWA-San Miguel Beer Basketball League as Century Insurance and Olivos/Reliance Construction stunned separate foes at the CIC Centre Basketball Court in Garapan.

Century set the theme of the night surprising pace-setter MIGS, 98-94, in the first game, while Olivos/Reliance pulled off a 93-85 victory over Diamond Auto Care in the second.

It was Century’s third win in a row after bowing to Aon Insurance in opening day of the inaugural league, which took a break Saturday in observance of All Saints Day.

MIGS took a big 125-122 overtime win over C&R Distributor/NRG before the break, but the former could not pick up where it left off when it faced the much taller crew of Century.

Century used its height and heft to outclass the hot-shooting MIGS with frontliners Larry Palero and Jawn Joyner combining for 46 points.

Palero had 12 rebounds to go with his 31 points, his biggest so far in the league. Joyner also recorded a double-double, firing 15 markers and collaring 14 boards, as he and Palero dominated the paint.

The backcourt tandem of Wowee Abuel and Bing Marasigan also stood their ground against the 1-2 punch of Sonny Lerio and Bonbon Cadagat.

Abuel finished with 21 points, while Marasigan nailed 11, seven in the crucial fourth period.

Cadagat and Lerio, who average close to 30 points in their first four wins, was held to 18 and nine markers, respectively, as they struggled with their outside shots, especially in the fourth quarter.

\Cadagat had his lowest output in five games, while Lerio recorded his first single-digit production, as MIGS’s dynamic duo was outscored by Abuel and Marasigan.

The cat-quick Cadagat was scoreless in the first quarter, fired seven in the second and started to hit from outside in the third period, connecting on two triples. His eight points and Kae Bernardo’s nine markers put MIGS in the lead, 77-70, at the end of the third period

But Century worked its way back into the game in the fourth canto with Joyner and Palero doing damage inside and Abuel and Marasigan taking over outside.

Cadagat failed to deliver in the crucial fourth period, as he was held to only a field goal and a free throw, while Lerio made only a triple. Bernardo, who completes MIGS’s lethal trio, finished with 22 markers after the third quarter, but scored only four in the fourth due to foul trouble.

In the second game, Olivos had a huge second half to pull off a come-from-behind win over the stunned Diamond Auto Care.

Diamond had a sparkling first half leading by as much as 15 points in the second period, 46-31, when its luster started to fade in the third period.

Olivos outshone the Diamond in the third canto, 28-13, to move to within two, 64-66, entering the fourth period.

A 13-1 scoring spree in the first three minutes of the fourth canto anchored by Edmark Mendoza and Ivan De Vero reversed the two teams’ fortunes with Olivos now in front, 80-67, with less than six minutes remaining in the game.

Elmer Esdrelon and Darwin Barbo had a run of their own, outscoring Olivos, 11-2, to keep Diamond afloat, 78-82, going into last three minutes of the match.

But crucial baskets from De Vero and Mendoza and several defensive stops and assists from Glen Mercurio helped Olivos preserve the win.

Mendoza put the icing on the cake with his nonchalant 3-point shot taken near the officials table on the right side of Olivos’ court hitting the board first before going in into the basket as time expired.

De Vero finished with a game-high 34 points, 20 in the second half, while Mendoza drilled 19 of his 22 markers in the last 20 minutes of the game to give Olivos its first win in four matches.

Diamond Care, which won its two games, did not know what hit the team in the second half as it had no player scoring more than two field goals in that period.

First Game

Century 98 – L. Palero 31, Abuel 21, Joyner 15, Marasigan 11, Gapor 9, Pagarao 6, Vinas 3.

MIGS 94 – Bernardo 26, Cadagat 18, Basila 14, Pantaleon 12, Lerio 9, Demapan 2, Doronilla 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-19, 49-44, 77-70, 98-94.

Second Game

Olivos/Reliance 93 – De Vero 34, Mendoza 22, Mercurio 13, Montano 9, Casabuena 7, Mendiola 4, Umali 3, Olivos 2, Mateo 1.

Diamond 85 – Ranola 17, D. Barbo 15, Guiab 12, Esdrelon 12, Tamondong 6, Delos Reyes 5, Fernandez 3, Cosino 2, G. Barbo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 20-all, 53-36, 64-66, 93-85.