Gwap Gang, Docomo boost semis bids

Gwap Gang?s Rodney Sacramento escapes two Natural Mystic players and pulls up for a shot against Dan Barcinas, left, during the fourth quarter of their game in the MDX caging last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. ( ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

Gwap Gang and Docomo Pacific remained in contention for the outright semis berths in the 2014 MDX Amateur Radio Club Basketball League after beating separate foes last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.
Gwap Gang walloped Natural Mystic in the second game, 95-75, while Docomo slipped past Saipan Ice & Water in the curtain-raiser, 76-73. With the contrasting wins, Docomo and Gwap Gang finished the round-robin regular season with identical 6-3 records for a three-way tie for third place with TBK Mechanics.

Only the Top 2 teams will gain the automatic semis tickets, while the next four will battle the last two, and the bottom four will be eliminated. San Antonio (4-2), and IT&E (5-2) join the five-team fight for the outright semis seats, while Armatech (1-5) and the Chinatown Saints (0-6) are likely to take an early vacation. Saipan Ice (3-5), Natural Mystic (2-6), and Pelicans (2-4) are hanging in there.

Docomo ended its regular season campaign on a winning note after rallying past Saipan Ice. Behind by five at the end of the third, 51-56, Tony Diaz, Cecilio Bisana, and James Villacrusis got their acts together in the fourth quarter, combining for 21 of Docomo’s 25 points to lift their team to the 3-point win.

The trio also canned crucial free throws that sealed the win for Docomo. Bisana and Diaz had two charities apiece, while Villacrus made a split, as Docomo got its last five points from the 15-foot line.

Bisana paced Docomo with his 20 points, while Villacrusis and Diaz chipped in 18 and 13, respectively. Juan Camacho was the fourth Docomo player to break into twin digits with his 11 and also added four points in the fourth canto.

In the second game, Gwap Gang relied on steady offense to cruise past the depleted Natural Mystics, which played with only six players.

Gwap Gang fired at least 21 points in all four quarters, breaking Natural Mystic’s back in the third quarter with a 24-14 scoring. Gwap was ahead by eight at halftime, 45-37, when it kept going in the third for a double-digit spread, 69-51. Jasper Yap led the breakaway, firing 11 of his 14 markers in the third quarter. He scored in succession, nailing 11 of Gwap Gang’s last 13 points in that canto.

Rodney Sacramento picked up where Yap left off in the fourth to maintain the safe margin, as the former logged 10 of his 23 points in the final canto. Sacramento drilled four straight baskets past the halfway mark of the fourth before a booming block and a steal from Dan Barcinas halted his momentum.

First Game
Docomo Pacific 76 – Bisana 20, Villacrusis 18, Diaz 13, J. Camacho 11, D. Camacho 3, Hayes 2, Sison 2.
Saipan Ice 73 – Rangamar 20, Sablan 15, Cayading 8, N. Saralu 8, Norita 7, T. Kaipat 2, R. Saralu 2.
Scoring by quarters: 19-21, 38-40, 51-56, 76-73.

Second Game
Gwap Gang 95 – Sacramento 23, Fitial 21, Yap 14, Vertudez 13, Ito 8, Ano 5, Deleon Guerrero 2.
Natural Mystic 75 – Barcinas 18, Ulloa 18, Pangelinan 14, Standish 14, Reyes 8.
Scoring by quarters: 24-23, 45-37, 69-51, 95-75.