TanHoldings, Best Deal/RNV coast past foes

Best Deal/RNV Construction’s Andy Mortos, right, pulls up for a shot against Westco’s Mark Pacholco during their playoff game in the JEM/Mobil caging last Wednesday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

TanHoldings and Best Deal/RNV Construction eased their way to the Elite 8 of the JEM Company Ltd./Mobil Customer Appreciation Basketball League after routing separate opponents last Wednesday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

TanHoldings pummeled Konstrak Builders in the first game to gain the third quarterfinal berth, while Best Deal/RNV took the fourth slot following an 82-58 demolition of Westco in the nightcap. Top-ranked TanHoldings and No. 6 Best Deal/RNV joined early qualifiers Mariana Resort and McDonald’s in the Elite 8.

Best Deal/RNV banked on a strong finish in the second quarter to set up the easy win. It had a 9-2 windup in the last two minutes and change of the pivotal period, turning a 5-point lead to a double-digit advantage at the break, 44-32. Andy Mortos scored 12 points in the crucial canto.

The burly forward added 6 more in the third and his other teammates also contributed on offense to increase their lead to 21, 65-44, entering the final canto. Westco never made headway in the fourth period to get the boot in the single-elimination playoffs as it absorbed its fifth straight loss in the tournament.

Mortos top-scored for Best Deal/RNV with his 26 points, as he muscled his way in for several point-blank shots and put-backs and also hit a couple of short jumpers. Ronald Rueda chipped in 19, 13 of them came in the first quarter off fastbreak layups and two triples.

Dan Illahi paced Westco with his 30 markers.

In the second game, TanHoldings was simply too much for Konstrak Builders.

The undefeated team built a double-digit lead right in the first quarter and pulled away in the ensuing periods to hammer the hapless Konstrak Builders.

As expected, Douglas Schmidt towed TanHoldings to the lopsided win after firing 27 points. Bart Demapan added 20, while Dindo Pablo, Adonis Macoto, and Jarett Matsutaro logged 17, 16, and 12 points, respectively. With Schmidt getting enough help from his teammates, TanHoldings hardly missed the presence of Lerio Pagarao, who served the first of his three-game suspension after figuring in a confrontation against Joeten’s Sid Quan and later Kelvin Fitial in the regular season.

TanHoldings now awaits the winner of the CUC-D&Q/CTSI playoff game on Monday for the Elite 8 pairing, while Best Deal/RNV will face the victor of the Coca-Cola/Subway-Mobil/COAG tiff.

First Game
TanHoldings 125 – Schmidt 27, Demapan 20, Pablo 17, Macoto 16, Matsutaro 12, Esdrelon 8, Villamena 6, Nonato 4, Quizon 2.

Konstrak Builders 50 – Bernardo 32, Sabidal 8, Manalo 4, Alfonso 4.

Scoring by quarters: 26-15, 51-29, 83-38, 125-50.

Second Game
Best Deal/RNV 82 – Mortos 26, R. Rueda 19, Jumaquio 10, Alfonso 5, Barrios 5, Corong 4, Odicta 3, Baul 3, Cabalquinto 2, Cayanan 1.

Westco 58 – Illahi 30, Rejano 9, Alfonso 9, Cortez 4, Tolentino 3, Gutierrez 3.

Scoring by quarters: 22-16, 44-32, 65-44, 82-58.