Erika’s/Ferrera survives CES

Erika’s Catering/Ferrera Builders withstood CES Electronics’ late rally to escape with a 69-67 win in their masters division game in the 2015 San Antonio Community Action Network Basketball League last Tuesday at the San Antonio court.

Erika’s Catering/Ferrera Builders’ Jerry Lopez tries to keep the ball away from CES Electronics’ Ferdie Tobias, partly hidden, and Ariel Abadilla, right, while Orly Ebuen gets ready for help defense during the closing seconds of their Masters game in the San Antonio caging last Tuesday night at the San Antonio court.
(Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Danny Illahi scored two field goals in the closing minutes of the exciting match, while Joseph Gatdula made a technical free throw and a crucial assist to give Erika’s/Ferrera enough cushion and foil CES Electronics’ comeback bid.

CES Electronics, which trailed by 7 at the start of the fourth, 50-57, moved within 1 on two occasions, 64-63, and 66-65, with still a minute and change left in the match. Illahi’s jumper from the foul line put Erika’s/Ferrera on top by 3, 66-63, and CES Electronics had a chance to overhaul the deficit when Dick Tibayan had back-to-back trips to the stripe in their next two offensive sets following two straight miscues from their foes. However, Tibayan only went 2-for-4 from the 15-foot line, allowing Erika’s/Ferrera to hang on to the one-point lead, 66-65.

Again, CES Electronics had an opportunity to grab the upper hand when Erika’s/Ferrera’s Dante Tabora missed a reverse layup following Rodney Catalla’s steal off Ferdie Tobias in the inbound play. However, CES Electronics lost possession on the other end with Sonny Ebuen having butterfingers. CES Electronics then committed another booboo when Ariel Abadilla was called for technical foul for shouting at Jerry Lopez, who was pulling up for a jumper near the foul line.

Gatdula hit the technical free throw to up their lead to 2, 67-65, and later fed Illahi off a perfect inbound play to make it a 4-point cushion, 69-65, with 25.1 seconds remaining on the clock. Gatdula spotted Illahi moving away from a phalanx of players who piled up near the sideline where the former was doing the inbound and threw a lob, allowing the latter to knock in an uncontested banked shot.

Down by two possessions, CES Electronics refused to give up and remained in contention after Abadilla canned a long jumper from the top key, 14.5 seconds left in the game. CES Electronics then had an opportunity to either tie the game with a deuce or win with a triple after it regained possession following a held ball between Lopez and Abadilla, down to 4.3 seconds in the tightly fought match. However, for the nth time, CES Electronics bungled the chance when Orly Ebuen’s desperation triple from the right key rimmed out as time expired. Both teams were without timeouts in the closing seconds of the game.

Catalla top-scored for Erika’s/Ferrera with his 20 points, while Illahi and Gatdula contributed 18 and 14, respectively. Sonny Ebuen had 17 to lead CES. Erika’s/Ferrera improved its record to 1-1, while CES fell to a 0-2 slate.

Meanwhile, Ferrera Builders moved up to 2-0 for the solo lead in the U18 division following a 79-54 demolition of the debuting KM Market.

The Ferrera Builders-KB Market tiff was first played last Saturday and was suspended due to rain with the former ahead, 38-19. The match resumed last Sunday with Ferrera Builders picking up where it left and sealing the win after the third period when its lead ballooned to 29, 62-33.

Chico Bondoc and Jun Castro had 18 points apiece for Ferrera Builders, while Markel Toves added 17.

Masters
Erika’s/Ferrera 69 – Catalla 20, Illahi 18, Gatdula 14, Tabora 10, De Belen 5, Lopez 2.

CES 67 – S. Ebuen 17, O. Ebuen 12, Tibayan 9, Abadilla 9, Capuyon 8, Dacumos 6, Tobias 4, Farinas 2.

Scoring by quarters: 12-19, 36-30, 57-50, 69-67.

U18
Ferrera 79 – Castro 18, C. Bondoc 18, Toves 17, A. Tabora 7, E. Tabora 4, Lee 4, Deleon Guerrero 4, F. Bondoc 3, Javier 2.

KB Market 54 – Aldan 18, Itaas 18, Mejia 6, Iba 6, San Juan 4, Ogasawara 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-11, 38-19, 62-33, 79-54.