Previous Story
Gamboa, Rabasto get MVP awards
Jake’s Catering’s Ron Gamboa and SSFM/New Garapan Market’s Sean Rabasto were named Finals and regular season MVPs, respectively in the 2015 DLX Invitational Basketball League last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.
Gamboa took the MVP honors in the winner-take-all finals for delivering the crucial plays in Jake’s Catering’s 76-73 overtime win against Island Manpower. Gamboa made a steal in the closing seconds of the extension period with Jake’s Catering hanging on to a slim 74-73 lead and went all the way for a fastbreak layup that gave his team more cushion, down to the last 3.6 seconds of the exciting finale.
SSFM/New Garapan Market’s Sean Rabasto, seen here going for a layup against Jake’s Catering’s Ferrick Aguon, won the regular season MVP award in the DLX caging for leading his team to an elimination round sweep. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Gamboa’s overtime heroics made up for his scoreless game in the fourth quarter where Jake’s Catering squandered a 9-point lead, 67-58, heading into the last 1:49 of the regulation, allowing Island Manpower to send the finals into extra five minutes.
The Jake’s Catering wingman sat out in the last few minutes of the fourth after a bad collision with Derrick Rangamar and returned to the game in overtime well rested and right on time to save his team from losing the championship. He finished the finals with 16 points, consistently scoring in the first three periods.
Meanwhile, Rabasto gained the regular season MVP plum for helping SSFM/New Garapan Market sweep the round-robin elimination.
Rabasto went on to join the Mythical Team, which was completed by his teammate Mike Espinosa, Maplas’ Edmark Mendoza, Island Manpower’s Jerome Norita, and Jake’s Catering’s White Capalad.
In related news, the DLX caging will open another competition next month. Organizers said, majority of the teams that joined the recently concluded tournament are returning for the June caging, while three other squads have expressed interest in participating in next month’s contest.
