KFC keeps undefeated record

KFC/Taco Bell extended its winning run in the 2012 DLX/DL JOS Inter-Color Basketball League after outlasting R-Lyn’s, 62-58, last Monday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

KFC now was three wins in as many games to keep pace with Bracket A leader Fastbreakers (4-0), while R-Lyn’s fell to a 0-2 record, failing to break into the win column after scoring only two field goals in the last 4:43 of the second match of the night.

R-Lyn’s forced the first deadlock in the game, 53-all, off John John Capuyon’s layup and had several opportunities to grab the lead, but committed errors in the closing minutes and missed second, third, and even fourth chance baskets, allowing KFC to keep the win.

In contrast, KFC was steady in the last 4:43 of the match, canning crucial free throws and grabbing offensive boards for putbacks to hold off R-Lyn’s rally.

After Capuyon’s equalizer, Jeff Durant made a split and then nailed a putback off his second free throw miss. Durant’s three straight points ignited a short 8-0 KFC rally with Ralph Francisco adding another charity, Albert Salas making a fastbreak layup, and the former nailing another putback for enough cushion.

On defense, Durant held his ground against R-Lyn’s Twin Towers—Aaron Engelhardt and Aaron Wood. The two R-Lyn’s big men scored in double figures with Allen drilling 12 and Engelhardt logging 10, but missed a bundle in the paint, as they either had butterfingers or overshot their mark. At one point in the last two minutes of the match, Engelhardt and Wood combined for four straight shots off offensive rebounds and missed all before Durant finally grabbed the defensive board.

John John Capuyon broke R-Lyn’s silence with a layup at the 1:05 mark, while his father, John, banked a triple at the buzzer, capping the team’s failed attempt to enter the win column.

Francisco top-scored for KFC with 15 points, starting the game with a triple and leading the team’s fastbreak plays in the second period to post their biggest lead, 28-16. Durant added 13.

Also on a winning run in Bracket B was DLX/Irish Spring, which topped Docomo in the curtain-raiser.

A 24-10 run in the fourth quarter gave Irish Spring back-to-back wins against the winless Docomo (0-2), which led in the first two quarters before collapsing in the second, allowing too many free throws in the fourth period.

Art Trajano started Irish Spring’s recovery in the second half, making 8 of his 12 points in the third period with his last basket in that quarter putting his team in the lead, 43-42.

Irish Spring continued the rally in the fourth quarter with Bernard Montano anchoring the team’s offense and scoring 9 of his 17 in the final canto. Montano and company kept the driver’s seat and widened the gap in the fourth with their free throws, canning 12 charities—five from Bernard and four from his brother, JR.

Irish Spring’s free throws made was more than the field goals (four) Docomo hit in the payoff period. Olan Tengco paced Docomo with 14 markers.

DLX/Irish Spring 67—B. Montano 17, Trajano 12, J. Montano 10, Garcia 5, Leong 5, Brien 4, Montano 4, Cordero 2, Hilario 2.

Docomo 52 – Tengco 14, Enriquez 9, Gomez 7, Usi 7, Lagardo 4, Cultura 4, Tudela 2, Bautista 2, Oson 2.

Scoring by quarters: 14-19, 27-31, 43-42, 67-52.

KFC/Taco Bell 62 – Francisco 15, Durant 13, Deleon Guerrero 6, Salas 6, Lee 6, Omnes 5, Tinio 4, Mendiola 2, Tumbaga 2, Sevilla 2.

R’Lyn’s 58 – Reyes 14, Wood 12, Engelhardt 10, Capuyon Jr. 10, Diaz 6, Capuyon Sr. 3, M. Puno 2, Buenabajo 1.

Scoring by quarters: 21-14, 32-31, 49-43, 62-58.