Gwap Gang still unbeaten; Bandits lead Garapan

Gwang Gang remained undefeated in three games after routing the ICS Shooters, 94-61, in the second game in the 2013 DLX/IT&E Invitational Basketball League last Friday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Gwap Gang held ICS to single-digit scoring in the first two quarter to break the game wide open and take the lead in Pool B with its 3-0 record. Gwap Gang is the only unbeaten team in the six-squad field with Digital Motion and JP World holding similar 1-1 slates (pending results of last Saturday’s games) and ICS tying Flip Top and Hite Beer for the fourth to sixth place with their identical 1-2 cards.

The ICS Shooters, which came from a 76-65 triumph over JP World last week, failed to make it two in a row after registering only 7 and 9 points in the first and second quarters, respectively. Only Djay Ong and Perry Inos lit up the board for ICS in the opening canto, while Gwap Gang had contributions from several players to build a promising 21-7 advantage.

In the second frame, three players scored for ICS, but only Mike Babauta hit more than one field goal. With ICS still struggling offensively, it was nearly outgunned by Dixon Kwon, who dropped 8 of his 10 markers, including three straight baskets, in the second canto to lift Gwap Gang to a big 38-16 lead.

ICS picked up its scoring in the third period, but Gwap Gang still outgunned its foe 26-19, for a 29-point margin, 64-35, going into the final canto. Despite the huge lead, Gwap Gang played no let up in the fourth canto and recorded its biggest output in a quarter, draining 31 markers. ICS also had its most production in the fourth, making 26 points, but these were not enough to redeem the team from an anemic shooting in the first half.

Six Gwap Gang players finished in twin digits with Rodney Sacramento leading the way with his 16 points. Inos paced ICS with his 18 markers.

In the first game, the Bandits (1-2) were ahead against Garapan (0-2), 76-61, when the match was rained-out with 2:34 left in the fourth quarter and the latter had possession.

The Bandits were up by only a hair at the break, 42-41, when they gained more cushion in the third quarter, 61-50, behind the hot shooting of Jaymark De Guzman. The lefty guard drilled three straight triples midway in the third to give the Bandits a safe distance, while Junar Guiab finished what his teammates started, earning the team’s last 6 points for their double-digit advantage.

The Bandits carried their momentum in the fourth frame to pad their lead and zero in on their second straight win just less than three minutes left in the game. The Bandits had a 0-2 start in the league before breaking their skid last week with an 81-71 win over Pogi Problems.

Gwap Gang 94 – Sacramento 16, Yap 13, Rabasto 12, Rabauliman 11, Kwon 10, Deleon Guerrero 10, Ano 9, Darag 7, Ito 4, Vertudez 2.

ICS Shooters 61 – Inos 18, Ong 12, Babauta 11, Namelo 8, Brennan 6, Salazar 3, Buniag 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-7, 38-16, 64-35, 94-61.