Toka routs Hoops for second win

Toka?s Jason Lampkin goes for a reverse layup in a fastbreak play in the third quarter, while teammate Preston Basa and the Hoopaholics? Kelvin Fitial look on during their game in the QQ caging last Monday night at the Garapan Basketball Court. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

Toka almost doubled-up the Hoopaholics en route to an easy 84-48 victory in the second game of the 2014 QQ Rent A Car Invitational Basketball League last Monday night at the Garapan Basketball Court.
The win was Toka’s second in as many games, as it also cruised to a 65-48 triumph over High-Five during the league’s opening day early this month. Toka is now in second place in the team standings behind the unbeaten and defending champion Blue Haus (3-0). The Hoops dropped to a 1-3 card, tying High-Five, while JP World (2-1), Island Manpower (0-1), Rebels (0-1), and Rollers (0-0) complete the field.

Toka dominated the Hoopaholics right from the get-go, leading at 24-6. Kagman High School big man Jason Lampkin jumpstarted Toka’s offense, while shooter Preston Basa put the finishing touches in the opening canto. Lampkin kicked off the first period with back-to-back baskets and finished the quarter with more points (9) than the entire Hoops crew. Basa, on the other hand, scored 7 of Toka’s last 9 markers in the first 10 minutes of play to give the team an early double-digit margin.

The Hoopaholics was held to three field goals in the first canto with James Villacrusis making a layup and Alex Lauron drilling the two other baskets. The Hoops’ patient offense backfired, as it either ran out of time for good shots or still failed to find the open man despite its ball movement, as Toka’s defense was quick to react to change of possessions.

The Hoops continued to struggle offensively, as it lacked an outside threat with John Sablan opting to call the shots from the sidelines and Kelvin Fitial, who has a decent 3-point shooting percentage, missing several long jumpers. The Hoops, who has a bunch of forwards on its roster, also failed to consistently hit point-blanked shots.

In contrast, Toka made baskets from all angles with its younger big guys outplaying the Hoops’ bigger, but slower frontliners and Basa and Dan Barcinas firing long jumpers. Four Toka players scored at least 4 points each in the second quarter, padding their lead to 41-19 at halftime
Toka never relinquished the double-digit spread in the second half, as the Hoops still failed to buy successive baskets from outside, while the former continued to work out a balance offense.

Five Toka players finished in twin digits with Lampkin leading the way with his 18 points. Basa contributed 15, Barcinas chipped in 14, and Marvin Rabauliman and Kobe Mendoza added 13 and 11, respectively. Villacrusis and Lauron were the only two double-figure scorers for the Hoops, tallying 16 and 10.

Toka 84 – Lampkin 18, Basa 15, Barcinas 14, Rabauliman 13, Mendoza 11, Caro 5, Tudela 3, Joyner 3.
Hoopaholics 48 – Villacrusis 16, Lauron 10, Itibus 8, Lee 5, Fitial 5, Manibusan 2, Tenorio 2.
Scoring by quarters: 24-6, 41-19, 58-33, 84-48.