Tsingtao reaches finale

Tsingtao Boyz’s Ramsa Tenepere, left, reaches
in to tap the ball away from Pardz Ballers’ Ryan Hipolito during their semis game in the 2019 One Pacific Promotional Basketball League last Wednesday at the Civic Center Court. (Kimberly A. Bautista)

Tsingtao Boyz outlasted Pardz Ballers in overtime, 102-98, to take the first finals seat in the 2019 One Pacific Promotional Basketball League last Wednesday at the Civic Center Court.

Tsingtao pulled off the victory in extra time despite lagging behind for majority of the semis match, thanks to its impressive free throw shooting. The No. 1 seed team capitalized on the multiple fouls Pardz committed after making 13 charities in the extra five minutes.

Jess Pineda delivered 9 points in overtime for Tsingtao, including 7 from the 15-foot line, and his last field goal sealed the deal for the team. Peter Ariar, Juboy Agbanlog, and Ramsa Tenepere added two charities apiece with the former also hitting one of the three field goals Tsingtao recorded in the extension. Ed Pangalinan drilled the other field goal for the first finalist.

The Pardz-Tsingtao semis game went into overtime after Rocyl Ritual knocked in the equalizer for the former and the latter did not have enough time (four seconds left in the regulation) to pull up for the last shot.

Despite sending the match into extra period, Pardz ended up absorbing a sorry loss and kissing its finals bid goodbye, as it wasted a double-digit lead in the first half.

Pardz turned a 21-16 advantage to a 10-point lead at the break, 45-35, as Ritual and Lucky Jose teamed up for 21 of the squad’s 25 markers in the second period.

Then in the third quarter, Pardz lost the twin-digit margin, no thanks to Pangelinan, who buried three triples in the penultimate frame. Mark Demonteverde also stepped up for Tsingtao in the third canto, chipping in 7 points, as they cut the deficit to 6, 55-61.

It was a close match after that and the semis tiff was back to square one at the end of regulation before Tsingtao completed the comeback in overtime to march into the finals.

The one-game finale will be played this Saturday with Tsingtao to face either Connie’s BBQ or Mawati in the winner-take-all championship game. Connie’s and Mawati dueled in the second semis game last Wednesday, but the match was rained-out with the former ahead going into the closing minutes of the first quarter, 15-10. The continuation of the game was scheduled last night and results were unavailable at press time.

Tsingtao Boyz 102—Pangelinan 23, Jandoc 19, Demonteverde 16, Pineda 15, Tenepere 11, Ariar 9, Alano 4, Del Rio 3, Agbangcog 2.
Pardz Ballers 98—Ritual 26, Jose 21, Torres 12, Galulu 10, Santos 8, Hipolito 7, Romo 5, Barrios 5, Umali 2, Bernardo 2.
Scoring by quarters: 16-21, 35-45, 55-61, 83-83, 102-98 (OT).