A speedy recovery combined with Estolas’ well-executed layups was enough to bring the Smart Cagers down, 90-74 in game one of the 2nd QQ Car Rental Basketball Cup’s championship series yesterday at Garapan.
Estolas – landing no shots in the entire first half – piled a game-saving 18 points in the third quarter to erase Mobil’s three-point deficit.
To make matters worse for the Cagers, none could stop Marvin Rabauliman from his usual layups. Larry Sharry tallied four points on offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter and George De Guzman added four more for good measure.
The Cagers fell behind, 14-17 early in the first quarter but capped the first half on a 31-28 lead. Pete Iguel’s run-and-gun plays and assists from Marlon De Dios and Darwin Barbo nearly secured the match, but it was far from over.
Mobil relied on fast break plays and a few turnovers to outscore their rivals, 35-12 in the third quarter. Sharry and De Guzman later fouled out, but it was nothing but a minor setback.
Estolas scored an extra three points on a layup and free throw in the closing eight minutes.
Iguel earned 13 of his 26 points in the final period as the clock ticked on the Cagers.
Sharry mustered 16 points, Rabauliman scored 20, and Giles Ruluked totaled 15 to lift Mobil in the safe zone. Angelo Fernando stepped in and hammered four jumpers for a late-game eight points.
Game two will commence on Saturday, July 2 at 7 p.m. along with the league’s awarding ceremony.
Scores:
Mobil 90 – J. Estolas 21, M. Rabauliman 20, L. Sharry 16, G. Ruluked 15, A. Fernando 9, G. De Guzman 8, T. Wensceslao 1
Smart Cagers 74 – P. Iguel 26, E. Peredo 16, D. Barbo 14, M. De Dios 10, Ngeskebei 4, B. Montano 4
Quarterscores: 17-14, 28-31, 63-43, 90-74
