Dream Team tops KFC, gets first win

Dream Team’s Max Camacho goes up for a shot against KFC’s Dalton Dancoe during the third quarter of their U21 game in the BANMI youth caging last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Dream team seized full control of the final tiff of the night in the second half to gain its first victory in four games, while KFC took its fourth loss after six matches.

Ahead by only six at the break, 26-20, Dream Team used its height advantage against the younger and shorter KFC players to hit easy baskets and enjoy a 45-30 lead at the end of the third period. Max Camacho led Dream Team’s breakaway, drilling 6 of his game-high 11 points in the third quarter. Six other Dream Team players scored in the third period, while KFC was held to 10 markers for the third straight time.

Dream Team went on to protect its double-digit lead in the majority of the fourth and final quarter, as KFC decided to gamble from the 3-point area late in the match in an attempt to overhaul the deficit. Jethro Cruz drained his second straight triple to bring Dream Team’s lead to single digit, 45-54, but time was not on KFC’s side as the clock read 1:23. Dream Team melted the clock down before scoring its last field goal off Dino Palacios’ reverse layup, while Cruz split his charities and buried another triple to peg the final score.

Meanwhile, in the first U21 game, the Ol’Aces kept their unbeaten record (5-0) after walloping Laly 4, 92-49.

A 24-4 scoring surge in the first quarter was all the Ol’Aces needed to coast to victory.

Big man Jimmy Tudela cherry picked in the paint against the hapless Laly 4 (0-5) en route to his game-high 22 points. Four other Ol’Aces players finished in twin digits in the rout with Ignacio Borja adding 14, Kobee Mendoza and Wilfredo Francisco chipping in 12 each, and L.D. Sanches contributing 10. Derek Olopai paced Laly 4 with his 16 markers, while Johnn Kapileo was the only other double figure scorer on the team, tallying 12.

First Game
Ol’Aces 92 – Tudela 22, Borja 14, Mendoza 12, Francisco 12, Sanchez 10, Olopai 8, Yap 6, Darag 5, Suarez 2.

Laly 4 49 – D. Olopai 16, J. Kapileo 12, Rogolifoi 8, S. Kapileo 6, Lisua 3, Sablan 2, Sato 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-4, 39-13, 71-29, 92-49

Second Game
Dream Team 56 – Camacho 11, Kautz 10, Ja. Palacios 9, S. Deleon Guerrero 8, Santy 4, D. Palacios 4, Sablan 4, Kwon 1.

KFC 49 – Cruz 17, Ogasawara 6, Borromeo 6, Pamintuan 4, Montes 4, Camacho 4, Cristobal 3, Alipio 2, Deocares 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-10, 26-20, 45-30, 56-49.