Green Minded splits games

Green Minded’s Ivan Devero, center, pulls up for a jumper against Empe Light Blue’s Sean Rabasto, left, and Naks Gunnacao during the fourth quarter of their game in the IT&E-sponsored Ali’i Blue Haus caging last Sunday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Green Minded needed five extra minutes to fend off Empe Light Blue, 97-88, during the curtain-raiser in the 2nd Ali’i Blue Haus Invitational Basketball League last Sunday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Green Minded outgunned Empe Light in overtime, 13-4, to take the victory and bounce back from a 72-112 loss to Batang Bear Brand last Saturday. Green Minded now has a 3-3 mark, while Empe Light fell to a 2-4 slate, and Batang Bear Brand improved to a 3-2 card.

After leading by as much as 17 points in the first quarter, 35-18, Green Minded nearly absorbed a sorry loss as Empe Light tied the match, 84-all, and the latter had a chance to grab the lead with Sean Rabasto on the line for the bonus charity. Rabasto drove strong to the basket, made the shot, and drew a foul on Edward Armia, 26.6 seconds left in regulation.

The Empe Light shooting guard then muffed his charity, while Green Minded’s Ivan Devero got the rebound and pushed the ball to their frontcourt, hoping to reclaim the lead and get the win. However, Devero was a marked man in the closing seconds of the fourth quarter, while his other teammates were gun shy. Armia was the last Green Minded player to have the possesion and was open for a long jumper, but opted not to make an attempt and instead went for an entry pass that did not go into one of his teammates with the ball going out to the baseline.

Empe Light was awarded the final possession with 2.9 seconds remaining in regulation. Empe Light then sued for time and when the game resumed, it could not also pull up for the basket at the buzzer, as the team made the inbound from the backcourt. Terrence Leung got the inbound pass and with him at the backcourt, he threw the ball to Haejun Park, who still had the leather on his bands when time expired, sending the match in overtime.

In the extension, Devero knocked in the first basket and he went on to earn 3 more points, while Armia and J.R. Barrios chipped in 4 apiece to save Green Minded.

Meanwhile, in last Saturday’s game, Batang Bear Brand’s offensive firepower proved to be too much for Green Minded.

Batang Bear Brand had six of its seven scorers breaking into double figures to rout Green Minded, which fell behind early as Devero only played in the fourth quarter. Hal Spott had 26 points for BBB, while Ron Gamboa chipped in 23, and Erlan Lansang tallied 14. Peter Ariar contributed 12, while Jeff Che and Joseph Achas had 11 apiece for BBB.

Devero, despite missing the first three periods, still top-scored for Green Minded with his 19 fourth-quarter points, which had no bearing in the one-sided match as BBB started the final canto way ahead, 83-43.

Sunday Game
Green Minded 97— Devero 42, Armia 20, Barrios 12, Dela Cruz 11, Tibayan 7, Omampo 5.
Empe Light 88 — Rabastos 24, Gunnacao 14, Reyes 13, Park 11, Lerio 8, Gallardo 8, Leung 6, Espinosa 2, Peredo 2.
Scoring by quarters: 35-18, 49-38, 71-56, 84-84, 97-88.

Saturday
Batang Bear Brand 112 — Spott 26, Gamboa 23, Lansang 14, Ariar 12, Che 11, Achas 11, Esdrelon 8.
Green Minded 73 — Devero 19, Barrios 16, Itaas 14, Santos 10, Dela Cruz 6, Vergara 3.
Scoring by quarters: 19-9, 45-24, 83-43, 112-72.