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KFC noses out Rollers A in U18 caging, 62-60
KFC’ Wilfredo Francisco, seen here stealing the ball from an Ol’Aces player during their U18 game last Tuesday, hit a crucial triple in their 62-60 win over the Rollers A in the BANMI youth caging yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
WIlfredo Francisco converted a corner triple to lift KFC to the 2-point win, the team’s second straight, as it also came from a 64-51 triumph against the Ol’Aces last Tuesday. KFC finished the round-robin regular season with a 4-3 record and could get one more win if its scheduled game against the CNMI Girls Nationals also last Tuesday will be counted in the standings. League officials have yet to decide if the victories other participating teams recorded against the Girls Nationals, who pulled out late in the tournament, will be tabulated.
Francisco’s backbreaking triple came after Mike Arciaga also hit a shot from downtown on the other end and gave Rollers A the one-point cushion, 60-59. The Rollers A had a chance to regain the lead as it was left with 11 seconds to orchestrate a play after Francisco’s trey. However, Dixon Kwon chopped off some time on the ticking clock, as he stole an inbound pass before being caught stepping on the baseline. The Rollers A reclaimed possession, but ran out of time to pull up for a shot.
Francisco finished the tight game in double figures with his 11 points, backing up the 19 of Shane Deleon Guerrero. Jethro Cruz and Kwon added 9 apiece, while Prince Factor paced Rollers A with his 13 points. Arciaga chipped in 12, while Emerson Feria contributed 11.
The KFC-Rollers A tiff was a neck-and-neck battle right at the get-go. The Rollers A held a one-possession lead after the first period, 15-12, off Factor’s 3 straight points. KFC remained afloat in the second quarter, 23-26, thanks to Cruz’s 7 points, while Deleon Guerrero and Francisco teamed up in the third to move the team within one, 44-45.
Then in the fourth quarter, the opposing teams engaged in a seesaw battle before Francisco hit the dagger to take the win.
KFC 62 – Deleon Guerrero 19, Francisco 11, Kwon 9, Cruz 9, Darag 5, Feria 3, Borromeo 2.
Rollers A 60 – Factor 13, Arciaga 12, Feria 11, Malonzo 4, Camacho 3, Iglecias 3, Babauta 1.
Scoring by quarters: 12-15, 23-26, 44-45, 62-60.
