Eats Easy’s Jaime Antonio double clutches in midair as two defenders contest his shot during a 2022 IT&E MIBL Fantasy Draft Tournament game Saturday at the ACS gym.
AK Toyota’s Shane Deleon Guerrero attempts to drive past an Eats Easy defender during a 2022 IT&E MIBL Fantasy Draft Tournament game Saturday at the ACS gym.
AK Toyota and IT&E secured their spots in the 2022 IT&E MIBL Fantasy Draft Tournament finals after eliminating their respective adversaries Saturday at the Agape Christian School gym.
AK Toyota had a tough match against La Mesa Kusina but managed to pull a late-game rally to triumph, 70-66.
La Mesa had a strong start as they found their chemistry, both offensively and defensively. Their inside game was their biggest strength with DJ Ong scoring eight points while team mates Yogie Cruz and Mark Mintac contributed four points each for an 18-11 lead.
Although AK Toyota struggled to find the bottom of the net, they played more aggressively in the second canto with Juan Camacho and Jerome Directo dominating the board with countless defensive rebounds and denying any second chance buckets. On offense, Shane Deleon Guerrero exploded with nine points to reduce the deficit, 27-29.
In the third quarter, Toyota continued to deliver thanks to Deleon Guerrero, Frank Ferrer and Jerome Directo who gave their team the lead for the first time.
La Mesa fought back with Cruz, Bry Navidad and Ong converting triples while Mintac and Agah Sapo attacked the rim to stay within a one-possession distance, 44-45.
In the final quarter, La Mesa went all out with Ong and Mintac at the frontline. However, they could not stop Deleon Guerrero who scored 14 points to seal the deal for AK Toyota, 70-66.
IT&E vs Eats Easy
IT&E also made it to the finals despite losing to Eats Easy, 75-76.
It was a one-sided game at first as IT&E led in the first half. They performed well in the opening quarter as they showcased their range and made four triples: Preston Basa scored two three-pointers while Jesse Santos and Rodel Pastrana delivered one each to give their team a double-digit lead, 22-12.
However, IT&E struggled to find their rhythm in the second canto as Eats Easy, led by JC Ferrera, staged a rally and cut down the deficit, 26-32.
IT&E fought back in the third quarter with Basa converting three triples while Kelvin Fitial scored nine points.
For their part, Eats Easy’s Greg Deleon Guerrero and Sam Darag stepped up their game by scoring 11 and nine points to maintain a single-digit distance.
In the final quarter, Eats Easy changed its strategy and focused on shutting down IT&E’s outside shots and unleashing an offensive onslaught. Deleon Guerrero, Joseph Sablan, Darag and Clint Albert contributed three-pointers while Jay Macraig inflicted extra damage from within the perimeter to snatch the lead.
IT&E still had some fight left with Airson Atan scoring eight points, but his output wasn’t enough to prevent an Eats Easy victory, 76-75.
It was IT&E’s only loss in the tournament, but because they still had the best record in their bracket, IT&E will face AK Toyota in the championship.
