SIP survives Jets in OT, 115-113

Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense pulled off a heart-stopping 115-113 overtime win over the AFP/Jets on Saturday night to clinch a semis seat in the UFO Inter-Organization Youth Basketball Docomo Pacific Cup 2011.

The SIP-Jets playoff tiff was a classic thriller that even badminton players at the nearby court were lured to watch the nip-and-tuck game, especially the closing seconds of the regulation.

Spectators at both the basketball and badminton courts at the TSL Sports Complex were kept at the edge of their seats in the last 3.5 seconds of the fourth quarter when the Jets attempted to send the game in overtime and succeeded.

The nail-biting play started with Sahj Hossain inbounding the ball after Jaymak De Guzman made his second free throw and gave SIP a three-point lead, 100-97. Ian Benavente received the pass and with the clocking ticking down, he ran and a few steps away from midcourt, he threw up a Hail Mary shot and his prayer was answered. His heave from the right sideline near the official’s table hit the board and then banked in as time expired, extending the game to five more minutes.

The first three minutes of the overtime was another seesaw game until SIP executed its offense well in the last two minutes and went up, 115-109. However, the Jets refused to give up and scored four quick points on Eugene Manglona’s layup and Melvin Cadiang’s floater to move within two, 113-115, with less than a minute left in the extension.

Teams traded turnovers in the ensuing plays then Kevin De Len was forced to foul John Darag to stop the clock, which read at 6.6 seconds. Darag stepped on the foul line and missed both free throws. Benavente collared the rebound, passed it to Hossain. Hossain then threw the ball to Cadiang, who was sprinting to their frontcourt against two defenders.

Cadiang at first was seemed driving to the basket, but hesitated and stepped back, as he thought they were down by three so he tried to square off for a triple. Then even before Cadiang pulled up for a shot, SIP’s defense ganged up on him and he fumbled as time expired.

SIP saved the win and join MDX/Armatech and Filcag/Rollers in the semifinals. The Jets must win their next game against Samahang Laguna next Saturday to advance to the Final Four.

SIP and Jets finished third and fourth, respectively, in the regular season and the battle for the third semis seat was close all throughout. SIP led by only two after the first period and the last three quarters ended in a deadlock.

The Ric Salem-coached SIP had a chance to win the game in regulation when it led by as much as seven midway in the fourth, 87-80. However, the Jets kept coming back and even regained the lead, 93-91, on Hossain’s layup, going into the last minutes of the match.

There were several lead changes in the ensuing plays and SIP had the opportunity to close the game from the foul line in the last 30 seconds, but De Guzman went 2-for-4 from the stripe, keeping the Jets’ hopes alive.

[B]Filcag Rollers 98, Samahang Laguna 72[/B]

Filcag/Rollers took the second semis seat and will face SIP in the next round after clobbering Samahang Laguna.

Samahang Laguna suffered a lopsided loss, as it only manage to stay afloat in the first quarter, falling behind by nine, 14-23.

Filcag stretched the lead to 18 at the break, 46-28, after another 23-plus production in the second canto. Filcag consistently scored more than 20 points in all four quarters, while Laguna’s lack of firepower was evident in the first three periods when it scored 14 in both the first and second canto and 15 in the third. Laguna had 29 in the final canto, but made a lot of baskets when Filcag had the game already in the bag.

[B]First Game

Filcag/Rollers 98[/B] – Aulerio 18, Hambros 12, Torres 9, Iglecias 9, Brennan 8, Eubanks 8, Namelo 8, Galarse 7, Cruz 7, Kiyoshi 2.
[B] Samahang Laguna 72[/B] – Aldan 24, Lapuz 13, Habijan 9, Gagaring 8, Manalili 6, Madre 6.

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 23-14, 46-28, 68-43, 98-72.
[B] Second Game

SIP 115[/B] – De Guzman 24, Palacios 19, Ne. Salem 15, Ni. Salem 14, Darag 11, Cenir 10, Aranda 8, Alegre 6, Saturno 6, Mariano 4.

[B]AFP/Jets 113[/B] – Hossain 28, Caro 22, Benavente 15, Cadiang 15, Manglona 9, Webb 8, De Leon 5, Deleon Guerrero 2.

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 22-19, 38-38, 65-65, 100-100, 115-113