Hoops notch fifth straight victory

The UPAA/Docomo Hoopaholics extended their winning streak to five, following an 82-63 demolition of NMBA/Mixed Blood in the UFO Inter-Organization Basketball Friendship League 2011 Bud Cup on Tuesday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

The Hoops now have a 6-1 record for second place in the team standings and will play Proa (5-0) in their last game in the round-robin regular season with the winner likely to draw a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Only the Top 7 teams will make it to the next round with the second to seventh ranked squads playing in the single-elimination playoffs and the winners joining the No. 1 squad in the Final Four.

NMBA/Mixed Blood with its 1-5 record is in danger of not making it to the next phase of the Bud Cup. NMBA gained its lone win so far against MDX/Blue Haus (0-6) and must prevail in its last game against MAFEA Ali’i Konflikt this Sunday and pray that Cavite/Andok’s (1-5) will lose against MDX/Blue Haus to claim the last playoff seat. If MDX wins and NMBA loses, there could be a three-way tie for the final playoff berth.

Mixed Blood almost gave away the win to the Hoops via forfeit, as when the first buzzer sounded, the latter had only three players at the venue. With only four minutes left in the 15-minute forfeiture time, NMBA managed to have six players, so referees already decided to start the match.

With NMBA spending the warm-up time calling for other players instead of doing pre-game drills, it got off to a sluggish start. Mixed Blood only scored three field goals and made 10 points.

In contrast, UPAA had a smooth sailing with James Villacrusis leading the cruise with his seven points, giving the Hoops an early double-digit lead, 22-10.

Randy Mungcal, who was held to a free throw in the opening period, got to his rhythm in the second canto, exploding for 14 points to slice the Hoops’ lead to single digit at the break, 32-40.

After a so-so game in the second period, the Hoops went back to work in the third period with Dave Sablan nailing eight points and four of his teammates also making it to the scoreboard. UPAA outgunned NMBA in the third quarter, 22-9, to bring the lead back to double figures, 62-41, entering the final canto. Only Mungcal logged more than two points for NMBA in the third.

Kelvin Fitial, who missed the first three quarters of the match, made his presence felt in the fourth, canning back-to-back triples, as the Hoops had cruise control in the payoff canto.

NMBA failed to make headway in the fourth period, as Mungcal was held without a field goal and earned all his six points from the foul line.

Sablan was again at the forefront of the Hoops’ lopsided win, scoring 23 points, while Villacrusis chipped in 15. UPAA has been unbeaten for over a month now after absorbing its lone loss in the league at the hands of Bayani/Mobil, 81-95, last Aug. 6.

Mungcal led NMBA’s losing cause with his 27 markers.

UPAA/Hoopaholics 82 – D. Sablan 23, Villacrusis 15, Villagomez 10, Cabrera 8, Fitial 6, Mendez 5, J. Sablan 4, Diaz 3, Palacios 2, Lee 2.

NMBA/Mixed Blood 63 – Mungcal 27, Timbal 14, Detera 6, Acosta 6, Roque 4, Valiente 4, Montes 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-10, 40-32, 62-41, 82-63.