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TDI noses out RNV in OT, nears finals
Top Development, Inc.’s Sean Rabasto, second left, unloads a long jumper in front of RNV/Best Deal’s John Padolina, third left, and Ronald Rueda, while his teammate Lorenzo Sefich, right, looks on during the first quarter of Game 1 of their semis series in the JP World caging last Sunday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Top Development Inc. inched closer to the finals after topping RNV Best Deal, 124-122, in overtime of Game 1 of their semis series in the 2018 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League last Sunday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.
Sean Rabasto carried TDI in the extra period after scoring 21 of the team’s 25 points, including the last 4 markers that sealed it for the winning squad. Jerome Reyes and Nestor Arreza added 2 points each in the extension.
It was a sorry loss for RNV/Best Deal, which was in the lead at the end of each of the first three quarters of the semis opener before TDI forced the deadlock in the fourth.
RNV/Best Deal was on top by 7 points in the first quarter, 27-20, behind the 8 points of John Padolina, and the team kept the upper hand at the break, 55-50, as Ronald Rueda stepped up and scored 11. Then in the third canto, it was Ivan Agustin’s turn to show up for RNV/Best Deal, as he made 10 markers for their 79-75 cushion.
However, in the fourth quarter, TDI rallied behind the early successive baskets of Darwin Barbo, while Rabasto and Reyes hit their shots in the homestretch to send the game in overtime.
Rabasto kept going in the extension period, as he torched RNV/Best Deal with his 20-plus points to finish with a season-high 42. Barbo added 30, while Raymond Velasco made 27. Rueda led RNV/Best Deal with his 28 markers.
RNV/Best Deal and TDI will meet anew this Saturday for Game 2 of the semis series with the winner of their duel battling the victor of the Joeten 1-Triple J showdown in the finals, starting next week.
TDI 124—Rabasto 42, Barbo 30, Velasco 27, Reyes 16, Arreza 6.
RNV/Best Deal 122—Rueda 28, Agustin 26, Mortos 22, Jumaquio 14, Odicta 13, Padolina 12, Baul 7.
Scoring by quarters: 20-27, 50-55, 75-79, 99-99, 124-122 (OT).
