MJD dominates DFEMS in finale

MJD Enterprises’ Dan Barcinas floats for a one-hander after eluding the defense of a DFEMS player during the third quarter of their title game in the inter-government/business caging last Wednesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

MJD Enterprises clinched the championship in the 2016 IT&E Inter-Government/Business Basketball League after outclassing Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services in the finals, 86-73, last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

MJD led right from the start behind the early explosion of Douglas Schmidt and foiled Fire’s repeated comeback bids with Matt Duenas, Jack Lizama, and Dar Barcinas joining forces to keep the team’s safe distance until the end.

Schmidt scored MJD’s first 6 points and went on to finish the first quarter with 14 markers to lift his team to a 22-17 advantage. The lead increased to twin digits at halftime, 44-31, as Duenas began hitting his mark and Jack Lizama also found his target.

The advantage then ballooned to as high as 22 points midway in the third, as DFEMS was stuck to 38 points. At this point, the quartet of Duenas, Schmidt, Lizama, and Barcinas worked together to lead the breakaway before DFEMS made a little headway, bringing the lead down to 13 three times. The last time was courtesy of Marvin Rabauliman’s buzzer-beating floater in the third canto, 56-69.

However, MJD quickly regained the sizeable lead early in the fourth canto with Barcinas anchoring a short 7-0 spurt. Barcinas opened the third with a triple and then made a layup a few seconds after feeding Duenas for a fastbreak basket. Duenas went on to finish what Barcinas started in the fourth canto, scoring 6 of MJD’s last 10 points to secure the title win. Lizama knocked in the 4 other points for MJD.

Duenas paced MJD with his 26 points, while Schmidt and Lizama chipped in 24 and 18, respectively. Barcinas was just a point shy of earning double figures.

Rabauliman led DFEMS’ losing cause, but was held to only a bucket in the fourth canto. Josh Sablan added 14, but had his last basket early in the third, making DFEMS’ 35th and 36th point before the team was limited to 2 points in the next four minutes and change, allowing MJD to pull away further for the easy title win.

MJD 86 — Duenas 26, Schmidt 24, Lizama 18, Barcinas 9, Usi 3, Bautista 2, De Guzman 2.
DFEMS 73 — Rabauliman 18, Sablan 14, Santos 11, Pua 11, Iginoef 7, Lisua 7, Cruz 3, Manglona 2.
Scoring by quarters: 22-17, 44-31, 69-56, 86-73.