Filcag/Rollers clinches finals berth

 The smallest player on the court delivered the big plays in the homestretch.

Filcag/Rollers guard Luizi Reyes made a putback and then picked up a loose ball in the closing seconds of their playoff game against Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense in the UFO Inter-Organization Youth Basketball Docomo Pacific Cup 2011 to lift his team to an exciting 85-82 win on Saturday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

The close victory gave Filcag/Rollers the first finals seat, while the loss booted out SIP. Filcag/Rollers’ finals foe will be the winner of the Jets-MDX/Armatech semis tiff. The loser in the last semis duel will battle SIP for the third place trophy.

SIP missed the finals despite taking a five-point lead at the 1:39 mark of the fourth canto. It held the lead for the last time at 82-81 and had a chance to make it a three-point cushion after Nelvin Salem was fouled, 13 seconds to go in the match. However, Salem muffed both charities and Wens Namelo collared the rebound for Rollers.

Namelo then pitched the ball to Josh Kiyoshi, who was streaking to their frontcourt. Kiyoshi went on to pull up for a shot, but missed. Fortunately, Reyes was there and took the offensive board and without even bringing the leather down, canned the game-winning basket.

With Filcag/Rollers now ahead, 83-82, 5.2 seconds remaining on the clock, SIP opted to go for a quick inbound instead of calling timeout. Salem made the inbound pass to Adrian Palacios, who dribbled toward the left wing, but ran out of space. With the clock ticking down and with nowhere to go, he lost his footing and eventually the ball, which Reyes later picked up.

Reyes was fouled in the last 0.3 of a second and made both free throws to give Filcag a three-point lead and ensure the win. SIP sued for time, which was too late, as it would need an alley-oop play for the basket to be counted and hope for a foul with less than half a second left on the clock.

Filcag/Rollers took the win despite wasting a 23-9 advantage in the first quarter. Filcag kept its double-digit lead at the break, 43-28, before SIP made headway in the third canto, moving within two, 59-61. A 31-18 scoring run in the third period brought SIP back in the match.

SIP went on to grab the driver’s seat midway and led by as much as five, 81-76, before it committed several errors in the last two minutes of the match and missed clutch free throws.

Behind by five, Brandon Aurelio hit a long jumper from the left corner, cutting SIP’s lead to three, 78-81. Filcag then forced a jumpball in the ensuing play after SIP fumbled, returning possession to the former, with less than a minute left on the clock.

Aurelio, whose earlier shot was called as a two-pointer as referees caught him stepping on the line, this time made sure he was on the right spot and canned another long jumper to tie the match, 81-all, 48.3 second to go.

Palacios was fouled on SIP”s offensive set, but split his charities, giving his team a precarious one-point lead, 83-82. Filcag failed to produce a basket in the ensuing play when Bryl Alegre blocked Namelo. However, Filcag recovered from the error when Leo Galarse anticipated a crosscourt pass.

Namelo was fouled after the steal, but muffed both free throws. Salem claimed the defensive rebound, but he too missed the pressure-packed charities, giving Reyes the opportunity to win the game for Rollers.

Aulerio top-scored for Rollers with 29, while Reyes added 11. Nicko Salem had 20 markers for SIP.

Jets 106, Samahang Laguna 79

In another do-or-die match, the Jets routed Samahang Laguna to arrange a semis collision against MDX/Armatech.

Laguna bowed out of competition despite keeping up with MDX in the first three quarters.

Laguna was behind by only six, 62-68, after the third period, before the Jets pulled away in the fourth quarter. The Jets outgunned Laguna in the final canto, 36-19.

The combo of Sajh Hossain, Kevin de Leon, and Ezra Caro did the damage for the Jets in the fourth canto, as the trio combined for 23 points. Hossain finished with a game-high 32 markers.

First Game

Jets 106 – Hossain 32, Manglona 23, Cadiang 15, De Leon 14, Caro 11, Webb 4, Aguilar 3, Deleon Guerrero 2.

Samahang Laguna 79 – G. Macahito 30, F. Macahito 12, Habijan 9, Manalili 9, Madreo 9, Lapuz 8.

Scoring by quarters: 23-22, 43-43, 68-62, 106-79.

Second Game

Filcag/Rollers 85 – Aulerio 29, Reyes 11, Kiyoshi 8, Eubanks 8, Galarse 6, Torres 6, Namelo 4, Cruz 4, Brennan 3, Hambros 2, Iglecias 2.

SIP 82 – Ni. Salem 20, Darag 14, Ne. Salem 13, Alegre 8, De Guzman 8, Aranda 8, Palacios 7, Saturno 4.

Scoring by quarters: 23-9, 43-28, 61-59, 85-82.