Ebisuya, Jaypers oust opponents

Ebisuya and Jaypers advanced to the next round of the Masters division of the 2009 Navy Hill Friendship Basketball League after drawing first blood in the playoffs Saturday night at the Garapan Basketball Court.

Jaypers played in the opening game at the start of the playoffs and slipped past Marianas Wireless, 83-77, while Ebisuya crushed Marianas Ice, 84-69, in the second match.

Jaypers were seeded second in the playoffs, which had nine teams advancing. Marianas Wireless finished ninth, while Ebisuya and Marianas Ice were ranked eighth and third, respectively. C.K. Legends drew a bye in the first round after placing first in the regular season. Garapan Gigolos were ranked fourth, followed by Gualo Rai Bombers, MDX, and Wild Boys.

After a slow start, Jaypers played better in the second half to turn a 36-39 halftime deficit to a 58-56 lead, entering the fourth period.

William Opone and Pasky Peleno led Jaypers’ second-half recovery, combining for 11 of the team’s 22 points in the third. George Villasan, who was scoreless in the third after making 12 in the first half, finished what Peleno and Opone started in the fourth period. The diminutive Jaypers guard had eight points in the fourth, as he, Noel Mateo, and Ferdie Tobias canned timely baskets to foil Marianas Wireless’ upset bid.

Marianas Ice was a victim of Ebisuya’s upset axe, as the latter used a 32-point explosion in the fourth quarter to stun its higher seeded foe.

Ebisuya was ahead by only two at the end of the third period, 52-50, when Andy Viola, Edwin Santos, and Dante Olivos teamed up in the team’s fourth-quarter breakaway. Santos, Viola, and Olivos combined for 21 points in the payoff canto.

Marianas Ice ran out of gas in the fourth period, as none of its players made more than a field goal in the final canto. Actually, Marianas Ice had only three field goals and scored most of its points from the free throw line, drilling 10 charities.

With the loss, Marianas Ice joins Marianas Wireless in early vacation. The first two rounds of the playoffs have a single-elimination format, but once the league is down to only four teams, a double-elimination format will be in effect.

Other pairings in the first round are MDX against Gualo Rai Bombers and Garapan Gigolos versus Wild Boys. The Wild Boys faced the Gigolos Sunday night, but results of the game were unavailable at press time.

Jaypers 83 – Villasan 20, Opone 13, Peleno 11, Tobias 11, Valdez 11, Mateo 8, Cultura 6, David 2.

Marianas Wireless 77 – Villegas 17, Surima 12, Illahi 12, Ocampo 11, Darag 8, Quimado 5, Tiples 4.

Scoring by quarters: 16-21, 36-39, 58-56, 83-77.
[B] Second Game[/B]

Ebisuya 84 – Viola 19, Tamondong 16, Santos 13, Sabino 12, Gatdula 8, Olivos 5, Jinang 2.

Marianas Ice 69 – Casabuena 25, Mina 18, Buenabajo 6, Pacheco 6, Garcia 4, Salazar 3, Omampo 3, Pinili 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-20, 40-34, 52-50, 84-69.