SSFM bags third straight win

Cecilio Bisana and Jerome Norita scored 20-plus points to lift SSFM to a 90-87 win over Gwap Gang in the second match in the 2014 DLX Invitational Basketball League last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

The victory was third in a row for SSFM, which drew 29 points from Bisana and 22 from Norita. Bisana nailed 12 of his total markers in the nip-and-tuck fourth period, including six of SSFM’s last eight points. Norita hit two early triples in the fourth and had 10 markers in the final canto.

Gwap Gang’s Erick Dela Rosa drives strong to the basket and is challenged by SSFM’s Mike Espinosa during the fourth quarter of their game in the DLX caging last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Top 2 scorers on SSFM’s side alternately carried the load for SSFM to counter attack against the gunners of Gwap Gang. Norita started the close match with a triple, while Bisana drilled 10 straight points midway in the first to keep SSFM afloat, 19-23. Gwap Gang led behind the three triples and 15 points of John Darag in the opening quarter alone.

Darag was then held to five points in the second canto, while Norita and Bisana combined for 13 markers in that period to move SSFM within one, 39-40. The opposing teams continued to breathe on each other’s neck in the third period with Gwap Gang hanging on to a one-point cushion, 63-62, before losing the upper hand after failing to contain Bisana and Norita in the fourth frame.

Norita and Bisana outgunned Darag and Kelvin Fitial in a shootout in the payoff quarter, 22-20, and the former pair got some help early in the fourth to pull off the three-point win. Mike Espinosa and Ferdie Tobias posted the six other points of SSFM in the fourth quarter, while Sean Rabasto and Shane Deleon Guerrero connected only one field goal apiece for Gwap Gang.

Meanwhile, in last Friday’s second game, Ali’i cruise past Morales Boys, 85-75.

The defending champion opened a 66-51 spread after the third period and exchanged baskets with Morales Boys in the fourth canto to protect its double-digit margin.

Young guns Kobee Mendoza and Karlo De Leon led Ali’i, scoring 26 and 16 points, respectively. Two other Ali’i players finished in twin digits with Badong Camacho chipping in 14 and Errol Peredo adding 11. Mendoza dropped 10 of his total points in the third to turn a 44-36 advantage to a 15-point margin, while Camacho, De Leon, and Peredo contributed at least two baskets each.

Nelson Samson had 24 for Morales Boys, which got 13 markers from Joy Dayrit.

Friday Game

Ali’i 85 – Mendoza 26, De Leon 16, Camacho 14, Peredo 12, Devero 7, Garcia 4.

Morales Boys 75 – Samson 24, Dayrit 13, Rangamar 44, Dela Rama 11, Jose 10, Morales 7.

Scoring by quarters: 24-20, 44-36, 66-51, 85-75.

Saturday Game

SSFM 90 – Bisana 29, Norita 22, Espinosa 15, Aguon 6, Echavez 4, Tobias 3, Salazar 3.

Gwap Gang 87 – Darag 25, Fitial 20, Deleon Guerrero 11, Rabasto 11, Factor 4, Ano 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-23, 39-40, 62-63, 90-87.