Choju’s Henry Aguon takes the open shot during a semifinals game against Yuman in season 2 of the Legends Sports Association Invitational Basketball League at the TSL Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Choju’s Jay Art Palmes uses his teammates’ screen to get free from a defender during a semifinals game against Yuman in season 2 of the Legends Sports Association Invitational Basketball League at the TSL Sports Complex on Tuesday.
CHOJU and Savemore are one win away from a shot at the title of the Legends Sports Association Invitational Basketball League Season 2 after beating their respective opponents in the first game of the semifinal round at the TSL Sports Complex on Tuesday.
Choju faced their toughest challenge yet but eventually overcame all odds to take down Yuman, 87-76.
The tempo was set high right from the start as both teams constantly attacked the rim, but neither scored within the first four minutes of the opening half.
Choju finally broke the silence with Henry Aguon’s second chance bucket followed by two more shots to get the team into rhythm. But thanks to the dribbling skills and ability to shift speeds of Yuman’s Carl Aldan, he connected three straight makes to bring the team back to a one-possession game.
However, Yuman could not keep up with Choju’s energy, and ended up committing a handful of turnovers. Choju turned trash to gold with each defensive stop led by the scoring pair, Junior Aguon and Dion Lizama, who delivered a total of 16 points in two minutes to stretch the gap to 40-26.
In the second half, Yuman gradually found their second wind and played with more confidence from beyond the arc with Erick Nuyles, Sean Licayan, and Aldan knocking down a couple of shots each. But Choju had an answer on the other end as CJ Santos and Jay Art Palmes joined Aguon and Lizama with their own mixed bag of offensive attacks to maintain a comfortable distance.
Yuman then drained three consecutive tripes, but Choju’s Palmes and Junior Aguon equalized with a pair while teammates Vince Satur and Henry Aguon took over the final minute with six points, leading their team to victory, 87-76.
Savemore vs Premier Builders
Joining the winner’s circle was Savemore, which outlasted the Premier Builders, 72-66.
It was a seesaw battle throughout most of the game. Both teams were evenly matched in the first half with Savemore holding a slight lead, 41-40. But during the second half, Savemore’s Julius Domine took over the spotlight, scoring 11 straight points which gave his team enough space to run the clock and secure the win over the Premier Builders.
Scores
Choju 87 – Junior Aguon 24, Jay Art Palmes 17, Dion Lizama 11, Vince Satur 9, CJ Santos 8, Henry Aguon 6, Dom Faisao 6, Gerald Mamis 6
Yuman 76 – Carl Aldan 20, Justine Enano 13, Sean Licayan 12, Erick Nuyles 11, Raymond Atencio 7, Jaysey Magno 5, Angelo Cristobal 4, Joemar Agustin 2, Maverick Itibus 2
