Jingle Ballers and Sun Palace gain first victory

A Jingle Ballers player looks for her teammates as she is surrounded by QQ Rent A Car defenders during the second half of their game in the women’s division of the TanHoldings caging last Monday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Jingle Ballers and Sun Palace barged into the win column of the women’s division contest in the 2016 TanHoldings Christmas Basketball Tournament after outclassing their respective foes last Monday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Sun Palace prevailed in its debut against Armatech, 29-20, while Jingle Ballers bounced back from a loss to division leader CTSI with a 31-23 triumph over QQ Rent A Car.

Jingle Ballers played better in the second half to beat the debuting QQ Rent A Car, which is bannered by the middle school players of Mt. Carmel School. Jingle Ballers outgunned QQ Rent A Car, 10-2, in the first nine minutes of the second half to take a 24-16 advantage and then kept its safe distance en route to the 8-point victory

Theresa Dalusong had 4 points in that spurt, while Patricia Surima, Desrei Camacho, and Halle Kenty chipped in 2 each. Louisa Han made the lone field goal for QQ Rent A Car, which held a shaky 16-14 halftime lead and failed to remain on top after making only three field goals in the second half. Princess Alcantara knocked in the two other field goals for QQ Rent A Car, while Han added a split free throw for the team’s last point.

Carla Ballesteros also had two straight baskets for Jingle Ballers, drilling a layup and a triple, while Kenty recorded one more bucket to close out for her squad.

Dalusong and Camacho top-scored for Jingle Ballers with 8 apiece, while Kenty finished with 7. Alcantara led all scorers with her 9 markers.

In the other women’s division game, Jeralyn Castillo and Diana Pablo broke into double figures to hand Sun Palace the win over Armatech (1-1).

Castillo registered 15 points, while Pablo contributed 12. Mikky Vargas logged the 2 other points of Sun Palace, while no Armatech players hit twin digits in the loss as the best that Shyna Cubangbang, Candice Avelino, and Marlene Lumabi could do were earned 4 points apiece.

Meanwhile, in the boys U16 division, the 670 Sonics improved to a 2-0 record following a 60-20 rout of the Ol’Aces 1.

The 670 Sonics was in control of the match right from the get-go, building a 29-14 halftime lead, and never looked back. 670 Sonics players’ better skills and experience allowed them to hit more baskets than new recruits of the Ol’Aces 1.

Khristian Itaas paced the 670 Sonics with his 15 points, while five of his teammates added at least 6 markers each, and two more made it to the squad’s box score. The Ol’Aces 1, on the other hand, had only five players scoring with Darly Sorino and Andrey Venezuela leading their team with 5 markers apiece and the rest limited to one field goal each.

WOMEN”S DIVISION
First Game
Sun Palace 29 — Jeralyn Castillo 15, Pablo 12, Vargas 2.
Armatech 20 — Lumabi 4, Cabangbang 4, Avelino 4, Francisco 3, Hemley 3, Peredo 2.
Scoring by halves: 14-9, 29-20.

Second Game
Jingle Ballers 31 — D. Camacho 8, Dalusong 8, Kenty 6, Ballesteros 5, Surima 2, Hayag 2.
QQ Rent A Car 23 — Alcantara 9, Han 7, Paraiso 4, Buenaventura 3.
Scoring by halves: 14-16, 31-23.

BOYS U16
670 Sonics 60 — Itaas 15, Dionisio 9, Ordona 8, Sabangan 7, Kintaro 6, Apasan 6, Cadag 2, Bayot 2.
Ol’Aces 1 20 — Soriano 5, Venezuela 5, Lajara 3, Ogasawara 3, Laxa 2, Ferrer 2.
Scoring by halves: 29-14, 50-20.