The heavily challenged E&E kept their ground towards the ball game and defeated DL Cooking Gas to make sure they will see action as well, in the finals against the Archers.
Veterans’ Day was also the underdog day as the semifinal round of the 2009 Miller Lite Invitational Cup at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court raged on with the backyard squads stealing the scene from the power house teams.
Archers 75, Fixers 73
Noel David and Mark Mendoza barreled through the Fixers’ stiff defense to pick up fouls and basketed their free throw shots in an attempt to protect their lead in the fourth quarter.
Manolo Manalo however, blasted from behind the arc and JR Barrios who prolonged his adrenaline rush in the third quarter fired five more shots to tie the game for an extra period.
Rommel Quinitip who led the team with eight of his 11 points in the first quarter fired a two pointer plus an extra free throw to take the lead.
Rommel Usi who briefly appeared in the first period but started picking up in the second quarter erased Manalo’s long-range feat then, basketed the winning shot.
Robert Guiang who helped the Archers took the lead in the third quarter scored 16 points.
He also helped the Archers strong enough to carry on and claimed their 75-73 win.
JR Barrios scattered 25 points in the court as he led the Fixers in a losing cause.
E&E 59, DL Cooking Gas 55
Alex Ocampo led E&E put up the lead in the first quarter and Mark Francisco fired two three-pointers in the second and third quarter, and basketed four penalty shots beat DL Cooking Gas in all the quarters to win the game, 59-55.
Ed Cosino grabbed most rebounds and foiled three attempts to help control E&E’s defense.
Danny Bicera backed Cosino up in tightening E&E defense allowing Ocampo, Francisco and Dennis Morales to take charge in the offense.
Morales poured in four free throws and Ed Cosino chipped in six points to maintain the gap and E&E hanged on in the final quarter to secure their victory.
Scores:
Archers 75 – R. Guiang 16, R. Usi 13, E. Mendoza 12, R. Quinitip 11, N. David 10, M. Usi 4.
Fixers 73 – J. Barrios 25, M. Manalo 17, J. Artates 9, B. Garcia 6, D. Hernandez 6, J.Motano 6, J. Llagas 4.
Quarterscores: 12-17, 30-29, 51-45, 65-65 OT: 75-73
E&E 59 – A. Ocampo 18, M. Francisco 14, D.Morales 10, E. Cosino 6, E. Biceara 4, F. Serrano 4.
DL Cooking Gas 55 – G. De Guzman 18, D. Dayrit 10, J. Galsote 6, N. Alfonso 6, V. Mallari 5, O. Ebuen 4, S.Ebuen 3, A. Macoto 3.
Quarterscores: 12-10, 31-16, 40-35, 59-55
