Close wins for Silencer, Team Sawi

The Green Archers’ Frank Ferrer, second left, loses the ball as he is hounded by three Silencer players during an earlier game in the IT&E-sponsored Ali’i Blue Haus caging at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Silencer and Team Sawi played steadier in the homestretch to slip past their respective opponents in the 2nd Ali’i Blue Haus Invitational Basketball League last Wednesday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Team Sawi labored for an 88-84 victory over the Green Archers in the second game, while the Silencer also earned a similar close win against Empe Light Blue in the first match, 88-85.

Angelo Fernando scored the Silencer’s last two field goals, while Kelvin Fitial made two important free throws to extend their team’s winning run to five for second place in the team standings with its 5-1 record.

Fernando finished with 19 points, 8 of them came in the final canto, while Fitial also registered double figures with his 15. Mico Usi top-scored for the Silencer with his 20 markers, making 10 of them in the first quarter to keep his squad in the game and fill in for Fernando, who reported for the match midway in the second canto.

With Usi on fire early in the match, the Silencer fell behind by only one at the end of the first frame, 21-22. Empe Light then gained more cushion in the second canto, 45-39, behind the combined 16 points of Sean Rabasto and Richard Peredo.

However, Empe Light lost the driver’s seat in the third quarter, as Fitial, Fernando, and Usi teamed up in the penultimate frame for the Silencer’s 65-61 advantage. The match remained close in the fourth with Rabasto’s successive field goals keeping Empe Light in the game before Fitial and Fernando delivered key baskets down the stretch to lift the Silencer to victory.

In the second game, Errol Peredo scored 6 of Team Sawi’s last 12 points to hand his group back-to-back wins after going 0-2.
Peredo was one of the five Team Sawi players to break into double figures with his 16 points. Oliver Gragasin led the squad with his 19 points, while Brendon Talania, J.R. Concepcion, and Jerome Directo logged 18, 17, and 10, respectively. Concepcion and Directo made Team Sawi’s last two baskets to deny the Green Archers’ bid to enter the win column.

The Green Archers absorbed their sixth loss in as many games despite getting 30 points from Frank Ferrer and 26 from Bart Demapan.

First Game
Silencer 88— Usi 20, Fernando 19, Fitial 15, Morales 8, Estores 8, Perez 6, Arreza 4, Sevilla 2, Culala 2.
Empe Light Blue 85 — Rabasto 28, Reyes 21, Peredo 11, Lerio 10, Leung 6, Gallardo 6, Tengco 3.
Scoring by quarters: 22-23, 39-45, 65-61, 88-85.

Second Game
Team Sawi 88 — Gragasin 19, Talania 18, Concepcion 17, Peredo 16, Directo 10, Galulu 4.
Green Archers 84 — Ferrer 30, Demapan 26, Danipog 14, Pestillos 8, Enriquez 6.
Scoring by quarters: 18-22. 42-39, 61-60, 88-84.