Flip Top battles back vs Hite

Flip Top showed poise in the homestretch to thwart Hite, 87-81, in the second game in the 2014 DLX Invitational Basketball League last Friday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Flip Top won the back-and-forth match after pushing the right buttons in the last two minutes of the close game, while Hite committed two turnovers and rushed their plays.

Flip Top’s Jun Estolas pulls up for a baseline jumper against three Hite defenders during the third quarter of their game in the DLX caging last Friday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The opposing teams entered the final two-minute mark of the game tied, 80-all, after Jun Estolas canned a pair of charities. Zack Babauta then tried to regain the lead quickly, pulling up for a long jumper and missed with his teammates not settled yet at the paint for the possible offensive rebound. After Babauta’s hastily-taken shot, Flip Top got the rebound and pushed the ball hard with Mike Arciaga on the finishing end, converting a banked shot that put his team on the lead, 82-80, with still 1:34 left on the clock.

Alex Lauron attempted to retaliate on the other end, but fumbled on his way to the basket, resulting to another Flip Top fastbreak play. Jun Estolas missed the getaway layup, but White Capalad was there for the trailer and putback, upping Flip Top’s lead to four, 84-80, with less than a minute left in the match.

Again, Hite was too fast for its own good, rushing the inbound play and losing the ball to Jun Fidelino, who intercepted the inbound pass intended to Dexter Tenorio. With the steal, Hite was forced to commit three quick fouls to stop the clock and hope for misses from Flip Top. However, Jun Estolas took care of the two charities to make it a six-point cushion, going into the last 13.6 seconds of the game.

A split charity from Dexter Tenorio cut the deficit to five and Flip Top hung on for the win as it melted the clock.

Flip Top escaped five the five-point win despite trailing by as much as 11 points in the closing minutes of the third canto. The third period started with Flip Top ahead, 41-33, but Hite bounced back and took a 65-44 advantage after holding the former to three points in eight minutes and scoreless in six. A triple from White Capalad in the last few seconds of the third quarter sliced the deficit to single digit and Flip Top continued to fight back in the fourth.

Flip Top began the fourth canto with three straight treys. Jun Estolas canned back-to-back shots from downtown, while Capalad opened the final frame with his second trey to move their team within two, 66-68. It was a neck-and-neck game from thereon with Flip Top capitalizing on Hite’s poor shot selections and errors to steal the win.

Hite lost despite a good first quarter that saw them getting a four-point cushion, 19-14. Hite surrendered the driver’s seat in the second period, as it was held to 14 points, while Flip Top tallied 26 to end the first half with the upper hand, 41-33.

Perry Inos led Flip Top’s second-quarter comeback, drilling eight of his 13 points in that period. Four other Flip Top players finished in twin digits with Jun Estolas and Capalad firing 17 each, Fidelino adding 14, and Arciaga chipping in 12. Zack Babauta led Hite with his 16 markers, while Tristan Montes contributed 15.

Flip Top 87 –J. Estolas 17, Capalad 17, Fidelino 14, Inos 13, Arciaga 12, D. Estolas 8, Manangan 4.

Hite 81 – Babauta 16, T. Montes 15, Lauron 13, Camacho 10, Tenorio 8, Diaz 8, Sison 6, A. Tagle 5, A. Montes 4, Lerio 3, M. Tagle 2.

Scoring by quarters: 15-19, 41-33, 65-57, 87-87.