By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE Department of Community and Cultural Affairs had another walk in the park, while Luta eked out a contrasting win in the 2007 Inter-government Basketball League last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
DCAA pounded the Department of Public Works/Procurement and Supply, 92-68, while Luta slipped past the Public School System in the second game, 85-83.
The win was DCCA’s second in as many games after easily beating the Ports Police last Wednesday, 76-60.
Again, Taj Van Buren was the top scorer for DCCA nailing 21 points. The sweet- shooting forward also nailed 21 markers against the Ports Police.
Van Buren failed to drill a triple in the first period, but he fired six markers in the first 10 minutes of the match to put DCCA in the lead, 20-16.
DPW managed to keep DCCA within striking distance at halftime with Dave Camacho hitting his marks. Camacho had six markers in the second quarter and DPW was down by only six after the first half, 39-45.
But DCCA broke the game wide open in the second half with Van Buren and Connie Camacho nailing two triples each in the third period to give their team a commanding 71-41 advantage.
DCCA held DPW to its lowest output in the game in the third period with the latter scoring only 13 points.
DCCA outscored DPW anew in the fourth, 21-16, to end the match with a 24-point win.
Three other DCCA players scored in double figures with Ton Camacho hitting 18 points and Peter Camacho adding 16. Connie Camacho contributed 14 markers.
Dave Camacho paced DPW with 17 points, while Herman Tudela chipped in 14 markers in their debut in the 14-team field.
In the second game, Luta and PSS battled neck and neck before Joel Hocog and Alfred Celes combined 16 of their team’s 26 points in the fourth quarter to lift the former to a two-point win.
Luta played its first game in the league this season, while PSS absorbed its first loss in two games.
Celes kept a depleted Luta, which played with only six players, in the game. Celes led all scorers with 26 points.
His outside shooting helped Luta lead in the first quarter, 22-14. Celes had two triples in the first period and nailed 10 points. He nailed two more treys in the second quarter, which ended in a deadlock, 38-all.
Ben Pelisamen nailed eight of his 16 points in the third quarter and Luta outscored PSS in that period to enter the final canto with a two-point lead, 59-57.
Luta preserved the lead in the fourth period after getting crucial baskets from Celes and Joel Hocog, who had nine and seven points in the payoff quarter, respectively.
Joel Punzalan led PSS with 21 points, but he was held to two points in the fourth quarter.
Scores:
First Game
DCCA 92—Van Buren 21, T. Camacho 18, P. Camacho 16, C. Camacho 14, Tenorio 7, Rangamar 6, Sablan 6, Dela Cruz 4.
DPW/P&S 68—Camacho 17, Tudela 14, O. Masga 14, J. Guerrero 10, Takai 4, Torres 2, Atalig 3.
Quarterscores: 20-16, 45-39, 71-42, 92-68
Second Game
Luta 85—Celes 26, Pelisamen 16, J. Hocog 14, Saralu 12, C. Hocog 10, Kalen 7.
PSS 83—Punzalan 21, Mendiola 18, Mendez 17, Buniag 11, Villagomez 6, Dewitt 4, Gross 4, Macduff 2.
Quarterscores: 22-14, 38-all, 59-057, 85-83