QQ, Blue Haus complete semis cast

QQ Rent A Car and Blue Haus outclassed separates playoff foes last Monday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court to notch the last two semis tickets in the 2nd Domino Lux International Fraternity Basketball Invitational Friendship League.

Blue Haus played in the first game and dominated Shirley’s Coffee Shop, 72-60, while QQ Rent A Car slipped past Crystal Pure/Mekeni Abe in overtime in the second game, 78-75.

Elgene Mangali top-scored for QQ with his 24 points, but it was Rolly Paraiso’s hustle on the boards and daredevil drives all throughout the game that saved his team from elimination.

Paraiso made the last basket for QQ in regulation, putting his team on top, 68-66, with 14.1 seconds left on the clock. Crystal Pure sued for time and when the game resumed, Sonny Lerio took an early shot beyond the arc and missed.

Fortunately for Crystal Pure, it retained possession as in the battle for the long rebound, a QQ player touched the ball last before the leather rolled out to the right sideline.

With 5.2 seconds left, Crystal Pure was pressured to make either a game-winning trey or a two-pointer and had time to map out a play as QQ’s Lerio Pagarao called an ill-advised timeout.

Mike Cruz then got the ball to Kae Bernardo, who drove strong to the baseline and made the equalizer, 2.1 seconds left in regulation. QQ’s Wowie Abuel threw the ball from the backcourt for a long trey and missed, sending the game into OT.

In overtime, QQ outsteadied Crystal Pure, as the former made important free throws and some defensive stops, while the latter muffed four crucial charities and committed an error in the closing minutes.

Cruz had two of those misses, allowing QQ to keep a three-point cushion, 76-73. After Cruz’s second miss, Paraiso fought for the rebound and won, paving the way for an Abuel’s breakaway layup. Abuel also missed the shot, but drew an unsportsmanlike foul on Lerio, and split his charities for QQ’s 77-73 lead, plus possession, 39.7 seconds left on the clock.

Crystal Pure gave up another foul to stop the clock and it worked as Dan Mateo went 0-for-2, while J.R Cadag made a quick two to cut QQ’s lead to a deuce, 75-77. Mangali lost the leather in the ensuing play and Crystal Pure had another chance to tie the game when Rex Yabut was fouled, however, he too faltered both charities.

Mateo made another trip to the stripe when QQ regained possession, and again muffed two free throws. After the second miss, Arthur Montes, who came in for the fouled out George Cruz in the last one minute of the overtime, collared the rebound and went up for a shot and missed. He, however got another rebound and this time kicked the ball out to Mangali, who was fouled with 5.7 remaining on the clock. Mangali went 1-for-2 and Crystal Pure had to rush a play from the backcourt and committed a costly error when Quincy Johnson’s crosscourt pass to Mike Cruz was intercepted by Montes.

QQ and Crystal Pure had a neck-and-neck battle for the fourth and last semis seat, as neither team led by double digits. Crystal Pure’s biggest advantage was four, 39-35, while QQ led by as much as eight at the end of the third, 51-43. Crystal Pure played catch up in the fourth and could not overhaul the lead, as it failed to feed Bernardo often in the paint.

In the first game, Blue Haus led from start to finish, stretching its advantage to as much as 15 and foiling Shirley’s repeated comeback bids.

Shirley’s managed to move to within eight, 57-65, with still 1:38 left on the clock, and had a chance to slice the deficit to six, but Jerome Norita’s inbound pass to Yosh Gabaldon was too strong and went out to the sideline. That had been the story for Shirley’s all night, especially in the fourth quarter, as it turned the ball over one play after another. No official statistics on turnovers were kept, but Shirley’s had more than 10 in the final canto alone.

In contrast, Blue Haus moved the ball well, resulting to four players scoring in double figures with Elmer Esdrelon making 17, Junar Guiab adding 14, and Bernardo Aquino and Brandon Talania chipping in 12 and 10, respectively.

With the win, the defending champion faces Andhok’s in the second semis game tonight at 8pm, while the Sunrisers duels QQ in the first match at 6:30pm.
[B] First Game

Blue Haus 72[/B] – Esdrelon 17, Guiab 14, Aquino 12, Talania 10, Camacho 5, Tumaquip 4, Sharry 2, Itaas 2.

QQ Rent A Car 78[/B] – Mangali 24, Paraiso 19, Abuel 15, Pagarao 11, Sison 4, Cruz 4, Mateo 2.
[B] Crystal Pure 75 [/B]– Bernardo 17, Johnson 14, Cruz 12, Yabut 12, Miranda 9, Lerio 8, Cadag 2.