By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

GUNS were blazing last Wednesday night in the 2006-2007 season of the Masters Basketball League at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym with Samahang Ilokano at Pangasinense and the Typhoons having enough weapons left in their arsenals to down separate opponents.
Both the Typhoons and SIP scored past the century mark to whip the Old’ Aces, 106-84, and PTI, 105-99, respectively.
SIP played in the first match and prevailed in the high-scoring game with three of itts players scoring 20 or more points.
Melvin Villarin and Tony Diaz led SIP’s attack firing 26 points apiece, while William Opone contributed 20 markers.
Villarin drilled 10 of his total points in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback win for SIP, which played a catch up game in the second half.
SIP started flat, while PTI found its marks early with Ed Palma exploding for 15 first-quarter points and Edsel Mendoza adding 12 in the first period, which ended with PTI leading by 14, 32-18.
SIP worked its way back into the game in the second quarter with Villarin, Tony Diaz and Opone joining forces.
Diaz, who was scoreless in the first canto, had 16 points in the second period and scored 10 straight points in the latter part of the second quarter.
Villarin, who was held to two points in the first quarter, and Opone had eight apiece in the second period, as SIP forced a deadlock at halftime, 52-all.
SIP held Palma to only a fieldgoal and three points in the second
period and continued its uphill climb in the second half with Villarin, Opone and Diaz still leading the way.
SIP stole the lead at the end of the third period, 78-71, with the trio nailing 18 of their team’s 26 points in that quarter.
Villarin picked up where he left off adding 10 more points in the crucial fourth quarter. He scored seven straight points midway through the final period drilling timely baskets that foiled PTI’s repeated comeback attempts.
Palma led PTI’s losing cause with 35 points, while Mendoza and Bruce Berline chipped in 29 and 20 markers, respectively.
In the second game, the Typhoons leaned on their balanced scoring to notch a 22-point win.
The Typhoons had six players scoring in double figures with George Masga leading the field with 11 markers. Elmer Pineda had 17, Oscar Masga added 15 and Ed Cosino and John Palacios chipping in 10 markers apiece.
The Old’Aces had only two games drilling double figures with Junior Renguul and James Abuy firing 18 points each.
Meanwhile, action in the Masters caging continues tonight with two games in the 45-and-up division.
The Tropical Storm faces NMC Proa in the first game at 6:30 p.m, while NIC meets the Old’Aces in the second match at 8 p.m.
Scores:
First Game
SIP 105—Villarin 26, Ton. Diaz 26, Opone 20, Delos Reyes 12, R. Alegre 10, Tom Diaz 3, Pambid 2, Buenabajo 2.
PTI 99—Palma 35, Mendoza 29, Berline 20, Villegas 2, Nepaial 2.
Quarterscores: 32-18, 52-all, 78-71, 105-99
Second Game
Typhoons 106—G. Masga 22, Pineda 17, O. Masga 15, Cosino 10, J. Palacios 10, Bicera 7, Babauta 7, Ocampo 6, Gamboa 5, F. Palacios 2.
Old’Aces 84—Renguul 18, Abuy 18, Lizama 9, Tomokane 8, Camacho 8, Rangamar 7, Ruluked 6, Rogolifoi 4, Ogumoro 3.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 47-32, 66-60, 106-84