Brabu Gualo Rai, Team Pogi triumph

  Team Pogi kept its grip to the top spot, while Brabu Guali Rai moved up in the team standings after recording contrasting wins in the 2012 DLX/DL JOS Inter-Color Basketball League last Monday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Team Pogi improved to a 5-1 record, two games ahead of its closest pursuer in Bracket A, following a 105-79 spanking of Marianas Water, while Brabu Gualo Rai climbed up to fifth place in Bracket A with its 2-3 card after outclassing Banahaw Restaurant, 78-72.

Brabu Gualo Rai boosted its bid for one of the two remaining playoff tickets in Bracket A after launching a rally in the fourth and overhauling Banahaw’s 11-point lead in the third canto.

The third period started with Banahaw ahead, 61-50, after holding Brabu to 8 points in that frame. Joel Javier scored 8 of his 17 points at the beginning of the second half to lift Banahaw to a twin-digit lead.

However, Javier and company failed to keep its offense going in the fourth period where Brabu outgunned Banahaw, 28-11, to steal the victory. J.P. Jose and Danny Dayrit teamed up in Brabu’s fourth-quarter juggernaut with the latter scoring all his 8 points in the final canto, including six straight markers in the closing minutes. Jose also had 8 in the fourth, canning three free throws in the homestretch to ensure the win. He finished with a game-high 27 markers. Victor Mallari also contributed in Brabu’s fourth quarter rally, adding 5 points and totaling 15.

Javier was held to 4 points and the rest of his teammates only combined for three field goals in the entire fourth canto, dropping the team to a 3-3 record, just one win ahead of Brabu. Banahaw remained at fourth place and must win its last game to make it to the eight-team playoff round. Only the Top 4 teams in each bracket will make the cut.

In Bracket A, Team Pogi is likely to finish No. 1 in its group after getting its fifth win in six games.

Team Pogi dropped 10 triples against only one from Marianas Water (2-3) to walk away with the easy victory. Jeff Bahillo led Team Pogi’s hot shooting from beyond the arc, hitting four treys and firing 30 points. He made 9 straight markers at one point in the third period and added one more in the last one minute of that canto to power Team Pogi to a big 70-54 advantage.

Before the third-quarter breakaway, Team Pogi only led by a deuce at the break, 38-36, as Marianas Water had a 14-6 windup in the last two minutes of the first half. Then Team Pogi had a 10-2 run in the first five minutes of the third to bring the lead back to double digits, 48-38, and the advantage continued to balloon, as Bahillo had his scoring spree midway in that quarter.

Bahillo’s hot hands rubbed off to his teammates, as Tim Sula, Renan Lansang, Jerwin Raquero, and Jason Bahillo also drained triples in the fourth canto en route to Team Pogi’s 26-point win.

First Game

Brabu Gualo Rai 78 – Jose 27, Mallari 15, Mamaril 10, Dayrit 8, Manalo 8, Samson 6, Galzote 4.

Banahaw Restaurant 72 – Javier 17, Towon 13, Saplan 12, Tabamo 11, Pacson 8, Sevilla 7.

Scoring by quarters: 22-22, 42-37, 50-61, 78-72.

Second Game

Team Pogi 105 – Je. Bahillo 30, Ja. Bahillo 17, Chan 17, Sula 12, Lansang 11, Raquero 5, Salazar 5, Alegre 2.

Marianas Water 79 – Galulu 27, Capalas 13, Olivos 12, Pacheco 7, Casabuena 3, Morales,2, Lazona 2, Vergara 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-14, 38-36, 70-54, 105-79.

By Roselyn Monroyo
Reporter