ICS Shooters, Ali’i thwart foes

The ICS Shooters and Ali’i barged into the win column in the 2013 DLX/IT&E Invitational Basketball League after outclassing separate foes last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

Ali’i prevailed in its first game of the season defeating San Roque Bandits, 61-55, in the curtain raiser, while the ICS Shooters bounced back from a close 61-62 loss to Flip Top last Wednesday after downing JP World in the nightcap, 76-65.
The ICS Shooters avoided a 0-2 start in the 14-team league after withstanding JP World’s late rally. The ICS Shooters led by as much as 15 points in the fourth quarter, 69-54, and were still ahead by twin digits in the last two minutes of the match, 71-56, when JP World made one final push with its 9-0 blast.

Now ahead by only 6 points, 71-65, with 49.6 seconds left in the game, player/coach Ed Echavez called a time out to bring order back to the ICS Shooters. When the game resumed, Leo Galarse attacked the basket and was fouled. He split his free throws to give his team more cushion, while JP World’s faltered on its attempt to move close with Juan Camacho missing on his drive.

A pair of free throws from Keoni Charities sealed it for the ICS Shooters, while Don Brennan canned a banked shot at the buzzer, following another botched offensive set from JP World to peg the final score. Brennan led all scorers with his 32 points. He banged in 13 of his total markers in the fourth quarter, helping the ICS Shooters turn a slim 52-48 lead to a double-digit advantage midway in that canto. Galarse was the other double-figure scorer for the ICS Shooters, chipping in 13.

Marlon Sison paced JP World in its debut game with 18 points, while Manolo Manalo added 15. Camacho also finished in twin digits with 12.
In the first game, Ali’i played a better second half after a second-quarter meltdown to win its first game of the season.

After posting a 19-10 lead at the end of the first quarter behind the 10 markers of Kobe Mendoza, Ali’I scored only 8 points in the second quarter to face a 29-17 halftime deficit. Only Ivan Devero drilled more than one field goal for Ali’i in the second canto, while San Roque drew contributions from several players to grab the driver’ seat after the first half.

In the second half, Ali’i regrouped with Bart Demapan suiting up in the third after missing the first half and firing the team’s first 6 points. He finished the quarter with 8 markers and three of his teammates added at least 4 points apiece, as Ali’i regained the lead, 50-43, going into the final quarter. Ali’i never relinquished the driver’s seat in the fourth period, as it countered every basket San Roque converted.

ICS Shooters’ D.J. Ong, center, pulls up for a quick shot against JP World’s Juan Camacho, left during the fourth quarter of their game in the DLX/IT&E caging last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

First Game
Ali’i 61 – Mendoza 14, Devero 12, Peredo 8, Demapan 8, De Dios 6, Garcia 5, Usi 4, Hernandez 2, Velasco 2.
San Roque 55 – De Guzman 16, Mendoza 13, Guiab 10, Fernando 8, Dayrit 4, Mina 3.
Scoring by quarters: 19-10, 27-29, 50-43, 61-55.

Second Game
ICS Shooters 76 – Brennan 32, Galarse 13, Ong 8, Bisana 8, Chariton 7, Babauta 2, Echavez 2.
JP World 65 – Sison 18, Manalo 15, J. Camacho 12, Jose 5, De Leon 4, Schrader 4, Torres 4, D. Camacho 3.
Scoring by quarters: 18-17, 31-34, 52-48, 76-65.