Game Recap 20/08/2011

1ST GAME Manila Motors / CMR Escapes the Panel Beaters

The 1st game between West and JR Panel is nothing less than exciting. The game was pretty much thrilling right from the onset till the final buzzer.

The first onslaught came from West with Tupei (last years MVP) drilling 3x – 3 pointers, and almost scoring half of their Teams 1st quarter point. However, JR Panel had a game plan  and manage to close the gap to just one point at the end of the first period (26 –West : 25 JR Panel) with Dennis Lorenzo and Erning Bautista providing the scoring power.

The 2nd quarter saw a different fire on JR Panels side with Lester Latosa opening the period with 2x successive Triples and Joshua Del Rosario adding another putting them on the lead. It took at least 3 minutes from the start of the period before West managed to put a score on the board. JR Panels gutsy defense manage to stop West’ young guns from doing their alley-hoop shots and take the lead 45 – 40 at the end of the period.

The start of the 3rd quarter saw the West team applying a full court press thereby managing to slowly close the gap. Kenneth Eldialde took off where Tupe left and drilled 2x Triples for West to take the lead 52 – 50 midway the 3rd period. This, however, further fuelled JR Panel’s players determination led by Dennis L, Ferdie M and Carlo Camus (playing for the 1st time)  and delivered several unanswered conversions putting them back in the lead 62 – 55. It was a seesaw battle then with both Teams trading shots but JR Panel still came on top, 70 – 66, at the end of the 3rd period.

The 4th quarter saw the West team quickly making a comeback and tying the ball game 74-all with precision shooting from Tupe  and Kenneth supported by Glen and Bong. JR Panel quickly rallied with the spit fire, Darryl Burias, providing the fast break points thereby taking them 1 point ahead – 3 minutes left in the final period. It was a close game from then with both Teams exchanging hoops. The final 34 seconds saw Kenneth Eldialde converting 2x free throws putting West on the lead with 3 points (100 – 97). JR Panel made a quick play and set-up Lester Latosa for a 3-pointer tying the game with 10 seconds left. West failed to convert on the dying seconds and the game went into overtime.

The extra period saw the West team continuing to play in-form and getting additional scoring from brothers Bong & Kenneth Eldialde, and Tupe adding a total of 13 points for the team. JR Panel started to lose 4 of their main players due to foul trouble and manage only to score a single 3-pointer from Lester Latosa till the final buzzer. The score ended 113 – 103 with the West Team unbeaten in the first round of the Tournament.

 

2nd GAME LM Money Transferers Upsets New World

The 2nd game between LM Money and New World started out slow with both teams trying to measure up each other and setting up their plays carefully. This, however, probably is the lowest scoring 1st quarter in the tournament ending at 15 (LM Money) – 14 (New World).  A more even scoring for LM Money was provided by Ronald Hidalgo, Restie Almoite, John Reyes and Chris Mallari while New World, who is missing one of their power forward Mark Santos, was kept in the ball game by Denmark Dillague, Johnbe Ramirez, JR Book and Dondee Salvador.

The 2nd quarter saw LM Money’s Ross Ganzan, Norman Latosa and Ramil Ramirez contributing further in scoring while New World seems to be having a hard time converting even easy shots to the goal, as they say in Filipino -  parang may takip yung ring. LM Money continued piling - up  the points leading by as much as 15 pts (33-18) with 2:15 left in the period. Both teams only manage to score a single basket in the last minute with Denmark Dillague drilling the last point for New World just before the buzzer of the 2nd period, 35-20 for LM Money.

Already it’s looking like LM Money will score an upset and their first win in the Tournament.

The 3rd quarter saw LM Money continuing to dominate both offensively and defensively with Marlon Ambion contributing 7 pts in the period. New World made several attempts to rally back with Titan Sioco providing 2x – 3 pointers. However, LM Money still manage to thwart off any offensive rally with grit and determination and manage to end the period on top 14 pts (49-35) against New World.

New World, with a renewed determination, manage to stage a comeback in the 4th quarter closing the gap to 10 pts (51-41) with Derrick Vivares, TJ Lising, Julo Valdez, Daniel de Silva and Cesar Perez making extra contribution on the scoring front. LM Money, however, seems more determined to notch their 1st win in the Tournament and regained their composure to protect their lead. Slowly, New World started to lose ground with their key players still failing to find their range in the hoop (Mark Santos’ absence was heavily felt on the Teams scoring percentage) and lost by as much as 19 pts (73-54) to LM Money in the final buzzer.

LM Money gaining their first wins at the end of the 1st round of the Tournament.