By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE Airport Police Firefighters and the Department of Public Works/Procurement & Supply survived their first round assignments at the start of the playoffs in the 2007 Inter-government Basketball League last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
The Firedawgs topped the DPS Enforcers, 83-68, while DPW/P&S edged the Public School System, 89-86, to advance to the quarterfinals.
ARFF was off to a hot start taking an early 11-point lead after the first quarter, 22-11, and sustained its momentum to eliminate the Enforcers.
Jerome Reyes paced the Firedawgs with 20 points, while Jawn Joyner added 14.
Joyner started things out for ARFF scoring nine markers in the first quarter.
Reyes joined the scoring spree nailing six markers in the second period, while E. Uchez also nailed six of his 12 points in that quarter to end the first half with the Firedawgs still in the lead, 39-33.
The Firedawgs increased the lead to 13, 61-48, at the end of the third canto, as James Diaz hit three triples in that period.
The Enforcers never recovered from thereon.
In the second game, DPW/P&S slipped past the PSS Schoolers hitting five crucial free throws in the closing seconds of the game.
Dave Camacho led DPW/P&S’s victory firing 26 points. He scored five of the team’s last 11 points, including three charities in the dying seconds of the match.
The Schoolers and and DPW/P&S were in a close fight from the start with the first quarter ending in a deadlock, 18-all.
With Oscar Masga drilling nine of his 22 points in the second period, DPW/P&S outscored PSS, 24-15, and took a 42-33 halftime lead.
But the Schoolers worked their way back into the game in the second half with Southern High School coach Joel Punzalan finding his marks.
Punzalan nailed 10 points in the third period to move PSS to within three, 61-64, entering the fourth quarter.
Punzalan continued to lead the Schoolers in the final canto, but he could not do it alone, while Camacho drew help from Frank Iglecias in bailing DPW/P&S out of trouble.
Iglecias fired eight of his 16 points in the fourth period to move DPW/P&S into the next round.
DPW/P&S will have a tough opponent in the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs on Tuesday.
DCCA topped Pool A with a perfect 6-0 record and drew a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The winner of the DCA-DPW/P&S tiff will advance to the semifinals.
The Firedawgs will also have a big assignment in the next round, as they will face Pool B top placer NMC Proa.
NMC is also undefeated in six games in the regular season.
Scores:
First Game
ARFF 83—Reyes 20, Joyner 14, Uchez 12, Diaz 10, Mizutani 8, O. Sablan 6, Cepeda 4, Torres 4, Camacho 2, Ogo 2, Sanchez 1.
DPS 68—S. Santos 17, Kaipat 14, Punimata 12, Wabol 6, Sablan 5, Rekemesik 2, Camacho 2, Ogumoro 2.
Quarterscores: 22-11, 39-33, 61-48, 83-68
Second Game
DPW/P&S 89—Camacho 26, Masga 22, Iglecias 16, Deleon Guerrero 13, Tudela 6, Sablan 4, Takai 2.
PSS 86—Punzalan 26, Buniag 23, Mendez 14, Mendiola 13, Itibus 5,Villagomez 4, Andrew 1.
Quarterscores: 18-all, 42-33, 64-61, 89-86