MDX keeps perfect record in DLX caging

MDX is still undefeated in the 2011 DLX Basketball Invitational Friendship League, following an 84-67 rout of Wushin Express last Wednesday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

MDX leaned on its balance offense to notch its third win in as many games. Six MDX players scored in double figures led by Alex Lauron, who cashed in with 19 points. Zack Babauta chipped in 13, Ziddy Johanes added 12, Zack Diaz contributed 11, and Mike Palacios and Ben Lisua had 10 each.

An 8-2 start gave MDX early control of the match and it kept pushing up the tempo of the game, scoring on several fastbreak plays for a 26-17 advantage after 10 minutes of play.

MDX maintained the double-digit lead in the next three quarters, as every player coach Aries Olivos fielded in the game found a way to score.

Wushin failed to trim the lead to single digits at the end of each quarters despite the impressive inside game of Edwin Santos and triples of Dick Tibayan. Santos had a couple of and-one plays down low, while Tibayan hit four treys. Santos and Tibayan lacked support from their teammates and Wushin could not score at least 20 points in each of the fourth quarter with its biggest output at 19 points in the second frame.

Santos and Tabora finished with 19 markers apiece, while Jun Tabora was only the third player to score in twin digits for Wushin with 11 and was held to only four field goals and failed to score in streaks.

Konstrak are also undefeated in two games after slipping past Saipan Boys.

Jun Estolas drilled 15 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter to lift Konstrak to the six-point win.

Konstrak was ahead by only hair after the third period, 62-61, when Estolas scored 10 straight markers at one point in the fourth canto to give Konstrak enough cushion. The high-scoring guard also nailed five of Konstrak’s last 10 points, while Elgene Mangali canned two important charities to ensure the victory. Mangali led all scorers with his 35 points.

Mangali had his own string of points, making seven straight in the first and 12 overall for Konstrak’s 21-15 edge. He added nine more as Konstrak stretched the lead to nine at the break, 44-35.

Estolas, who was held to three field goals in the first half, fired eight points in the third, while Mangali chipped in six, as Konstrak hung on to the driver’s seat. Saipan Boys moved within one after outgunning Konstrak in the third, 26-18, behind the 13 points of Jun Singka and 10 of Angelo Fernando.

In the fourth period, Saipan Boys continued to keep up with Konstrak, but Estolas was there to foil the former’s bid for a come-from-behind win.
[B] First Game

Konstrak 87[/B] – Mangali 35, Estolas 29, Reyes 6, Dayrit 5, Mallari 5, Galzote 4, Deleon Guerrero.
[B] Saipan Boys 81[/B] – Fernando 25, Singka 20, Achas 11, Salazar 6, Hernaez 6, Gapor 6, Quemado 4.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 21-15, 44-35, 62-61, 87-81.

MDX 84[/B] – Lauron 19, Z. Babauta 13, Johanes 12, Diaz 11, Palacios 10, Lisua 10, Park 6, Tenorio 4.