Back-to-back for Joeten; first for TDI

Mobil/COAG’s Marlon Sison, right, reaches in to steal the ball from TDI’s Jerome Reyes, center, while the former’s teammate Sherwin Agustin stays in the play during the fourth quarter of their game in the JEM/Mobil caging last Thursday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Joeten Enterprises and Top Development, Inc. prevailed in their respective matches in the 2017 JEM Company Ltd./Mobil Customer Appreciation Basketball League last Thursday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Joeten earned back-to-back wins after losing its debut in the league following a 73-64 triumph over GPPC (0-2) in the Pool A pairing, while TDI got its first victory after downing Mobil/COAG in their Pool B duel, 75-66.

TDI took control of the game in the second quarter and halted Mobil’s rally in the third to make it to the win column and bounce back from its opening loss to Coca-Cola/Subway.

TDI established a 42-32 lead at the break with Alain Reyes, Raymond Velasco, and Renato Barros teaming up for 22 of the squad’s 24 points in the second frame, which ended in a deadlock, 18-all.

Mobil/COAG behind the hot 3-point shooting of Alain Gomez managed to cut the deficit to four midway in the third frame, 46-50, but an 11-4 windup brought TDI’s lead back to twin digits, 61-50. Velasco added 8 more points in the third quarter to give TDI some breathing room.

TDI went on to keep its safe distance in the final canto with Jerome Reyes delivering the killer blows, as he nailed 9 of his 15 markers in the fourth.

In the first game, Joeten opened a 21-9 advantage and despite being threatened by GPPC in the second quarter, the former retained the driver’s seat in the second half for its second straight win.

Alex Lauron and Sid Quan combined for 14 points in the first quarter to lift Joeten to a 12-point lead. GPPC then moved within a deuce at the half, 33-35, thanks to Randy Mungcal’s 14 points in the second quarter.

However, GPPC just could not overhaul the deficit in the second half with Lauron and Quan alternately hitting baskets that repeatedly frustrated their foes. Quan finished off GPPC by making Joeten’s last 6 points.

Quan ended up with 17 markers, while Lauron top-scored for Joeten with his 18. Mungcal led all scorers with his 20 points.

First Game
Joeten 73 — Lauron 18, Quan 17, Devero 10, Chariton 8, Dionisio 8, Sambile 4, Muna 4, Rogolifoi 2.

GPPC 64 — Mungcal 20, R. Tagle 12, Ocampo 11, Norial 7, Santos 5, Sampang 4, Bandojo 2, Advincula 1.

Scoring by quarters: 21-9, 35-33, 54-50, 73-64.

Second Game
TDI 75 — Velasco 21, A. Reyes 20, J. Reyes 14, K. Arreza 7, Barros 6, N. Arreza 5, Pollisco 2.

Mobil/COAG 66 — Gomez 23, Almario 14, Torres 8, Sison 7, Manzano 6, Agustin 4, Cisnero 2, Muna 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-18, 42-32, 61-50, 75-66.