Ghasias Brothers dethrone Ali’i

Ghasias Brothers’ Freddie Pelisamen eludes the defense of Ali’i’s Errol Peredo during the fourth quarter of their semis game in the DLX caging early this month at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. Pelisamen scored 52 points to power Ghasias Brothers to a 107-88 title win over Ali’i last Saturday. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

As expected, Freddie Pelisamen towed Ghasias to the title win, as he exploded for 52 big points, the most he scored this season. Ben Pelisamen backed him up by adding 16 markers, including 9 straight points in the fourth quarter that dealt the final blows to Ali’i’s unsuccessful attempt for back-to-back championships.

The fourth period started with Ghasias Brothers losing a double-digit spread, as Ali’i trimmed the 43-55 halftime deficit to 7, 78-71, after three quarters. Threatened, Ghasias Brothers went all out in the final canto, firing 29 points with Ben scoring 11 of them and Freddie chipping in 8. Ben was held to one field goal in the first half of the fourth frame, but unloaded three straight triples in the final half, while Freddie logged the last basket for Ghasias Brothers. Ben and Freddie outscored the entire Ali’i crew in the fourth period, as the latter registered only 17 points.

Ali’i fell short in the fourth, as only Errol Peredo and Nate Mateo drilled more than two field goals for the deposed champion in the payoff canto. Ali’i clearly missed the services of last season’s MVP Kobee Mendoza and Finals MVP Raymond Velasco in the title showdown against the Freddie Pelisamen-led Ghasias Brothers.

With their two key players out, Peredo tried to carry the fight for Ali’i early in the game and was successful, as he converted four consecutive 3-pointers to keep up with Freddie and company. Peredo finished the first period with 12 points, a point ahead of Freddie and the match was even, 21-21, after the opening 10 minutes of play.

Freddie continued to pile up points for Ghasias Brothers, while Peredo was held to one field goal and two free throws. With Peredo struggling and only Mateo steppinng up for Ali’i, while Freddie was still on fire, Ghasias Brothers sizzled for 34 points to open a 12-point halftime advantage. Freddie nailed 12 of Ghasias’ first 16 points in the second quarter and finished what he started, scoring the team’s last five baskets.

Freddie finished the first half with 34 points, just 9 markers short of the total production of Ali’i and he was not done yet, as he added 10 more in the third to thwart the dethroned champion’s repeated comeback bids. Freddie registered a string of 6 points early in the third before slowing down in the latter part of that period, while Peredo regained his form and scored 10 markers to keep Ali’i afloat.

After letting Freddie run the show in the first three periods, Ali’i finally found a way to neutralize the Ghasias Brothers main gunner. However, Ali’i forgot a deadly shooter in Ben, who only made one field goal and two charities in the first three frames before hitting his target in the fourth to help Ghasias steal the championship.

Ghasias Brothers 107 – F. Pelisamen 52, B. Pelisamen 16, Acosta 10, R. Pelisamen 9, Ruluked 6, Olaitiman 6, J. Pelisamen 4.

Ali’i 88 – Peredo 29, Mateo 23, De Dios 12, Camacho 12, Devero 10, Hernandez 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-21, 55-43, 78-71, 107-88.