By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs pulled off a come-from-behind 97-93 win over the Office of Public Auditor last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym to claim an automatic semis seat in the 2007 Inter-government Basketball League.
Before the game, DCCA and OPA were tied for the lead in Pool B with identical 5-0 records.
OPA seemed to have the better end of the battle of two undefeated teams in the first half with Ed Diaz and Tim Wesley leading OPA’s attack.
Diaz had two early triples in the first quarter, which ended with OPA leading, 23-16.
DCCA, which is deadly from the 3-point area, had a hard time finding its marks in the first period.
OPA continued to dominate the game in the second quarter despite Taj Van Buren making two triples.
Wesley, Taula Peter, Steve Rasa and Mitch Aaron teamed up for OPA in the second period to take a 46-32 lead.
But DCCA worked its way back into the game in the second half with Van Buren hitting three triples and scoring 11 points in the third quarter and Peter Camacho earning his points from the 15-foot line and adding nine markers.
DCCA entered the fourth quarter down by only five, 61-66.
Van Buren continued to lead DCCA’s comeback in the early part of the final canto and drew help from Frank Iginoef, who had seven points in that period.
Midway through the final period, Elias Rangamar, who had only three fieldgoals after three quarters, and Peter Camacho took over scoring the DCCA’s last 21 points.
Rangamar drilled back-to-back triples at one point in the fourth period and he and Camacho’s clutch free-throw shooting in the closing minutes of the game helped DCCA steal the win from OPA.
Camacho finished with 26 points, while Rangamar and Van Buren contributed 22 markers apiece. Iginoef added 17.
Wesley paced OPA with 20 points, while Diaz added 15, but was held four points in the second half due to foul trouble.
With the victory, DCCA joins NMC Proa in the semis.
OPA and 11 other teams will battle for the two remaining semis tickets.
In other results, defending champion Tinian snapped a two-game losing streak with a 110-77 rout of the Public School System.
Tinian finished the regular season with a 4-2 record, while PSS dropped to a 2-4 slate.
Scores:
First Game
DCCA 97—P. Camacho 26, Rangamar 22, Van Buren 22, Iginoef 17, Dela Cruz 6, Sablan 2, J. Camacho 2.
OPA 93—Wesley 20, Diaz 15, S. Rasa 10, P. Rasa 9, Aaron 9, Coldeen 8, Peter 8, Torres 6, Camacho 6, Sasamoto 2.
Quarterscores: 17-23, 32-46, 61-66, 97-93
Second Game
Tinian 110—Santos 29, Manibusan 21, Manglona 18, Borja 17, Cruz 10, Cabrera 9, Palacios 4, San Nicolas 1.
PSS 77—Mendiola 20, Lizama 17, Itibus 14, Punzalan 11, Mendez 8, Villagomez 5, Andrew 2.
Quarterscores: 21-15, 49-35, 83-57, 110-77