POI nips Lower Base for first victory

POI’s Ferdie Arago goes up for a shot against Lower Base defenders during their game in the Tan Holdings caging last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Pacific Oriental, Inc. barged into the win column in the 2016 Tan Holdings Inter-Company Basketball League after edging Lower Base Warriors, 41-39, last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

POI drew two field goals from Kyung Min Yu in the closing minutes to escape past Lower Base and get its first victory after a 0-2 start. Lower Base dropped to a 0-3 card. Yu finished with 8 points, 6 of them came in the second half, while Ramsa Tenepere led POI with his 10 markers, 7 were made in the final 20 minutes of play

Lower Base engaged POI in a seesaw battle with the former leaning on Ariel Jinang’s outside shooting to stay in the game. Jinang had a game-high 15 markers, including three triples.

In other results, Fiesta Resort recovered from its previous loss with a 56-49 victory over Shirley’s Coffee Shop in the second game, while Kanoa Resort extended its run following a 74-37 rout of Mambas in the curtain-raiser.

Kanoa improved to a 3-0 record for the solo lead in the six-team field, while Mambas fell to a 1-1 mark.

Mambas, which came from a 45-42 upset over Fiesta in the second week of the league, kept Kanoa within striking distance only in the first half before it was hammered by Matt Duenas and company in the second.

Duenas fired up Kanoa’s strong offense, scoring 18 points. Rodney Sacramento contributed 15, while Ernest Duenas and Dindo Pablo had 11 apiece. Only Ferdie De La Torre broke into double figures (11) for Mamba, which missed the services of young gun Djay Ong.

In the second game, Fiesta’s key players returned after a no-show against Mambas to hand Shirley’s its first loss in three matches.

Elmer Esdrelon suited up for the defending champion and was one of the five Fiesta players who scored at least 6 points against Shirley’s. He had 8 points to back up the 13 and 12 of Paul Quizon and Jarette Matsutaro.

Jerome Pollisco had 14 to pace Shirley’s, which dropped to second place in the team standings, joining Fiesta.

First Game
Kanoa 74 — M. Duenas 18, Sacramento 15, E. Duenas 11, Pablo 11, Schmidt 8, Bustillo 4, Rabauliman 2.
Mambas 37 — De La Torre 11, Pagarao 8, Raho 7, Rabago 3, Chan 2, D. Angeles 2, Calibo 2, J. Ong 2.
Scoring by halves: 29-20, 74-37.

Second Game
Fiesta 56 — Quizon 13, Matsutaro 12, Rivera 9, Esdrelon 8, Maliwanag 6, Macoto 5, Villamena 2.
Shirley’s 49 — Pollisco 14, Pamintuan 9, Dela Rosa 8, Nicdao 4, Jugos 2, Catungal 2, Drilon 2.
Scoring by halves: 29-16, 56-59.

Third Game
POI 41 — Tenepere 10, Yu 8, Arago 6, Mejia 4, Ramos 3, Mendiola 3, Villanueva 3.
Lower Base 39 — Jinang 15, Basindero 9, Salazar 3, Omar 3, Alegre 2, Echavez 2, Garcia 2.
Scoring by halves: 21-17, 41-39.