James Villacrusis and James Lee scored 20 and 13 points, respectively to outrun the Island Apparel Hotshots, 74-64 and shut their door from the playoffs.
The Hoopaholics hammered 26 points in the second quarter, leaving their foes in an 18-point ditch by the second half.
The Hotshots fired a series of threes — first from Manolo Manalo, then from Gino Libuw, and another from Errol Peredo — to erase their deficit.
That still wasn’t stopping Villacrusis from landing his usual layups against Peredo’s veteran players. Missing some shots wasn’t a problem for the Hoops, as James Lee and Mel Manibusan dominated most rebounds.
Hotshots’ JR Barrios stepped into the second half and scored 12 points for a 13 total.
Quick run-and-gun plays were all the Hoopaholics needed to end the last 50 seconds. James Lee took his fourth personal foul on Manolo Manalo, who squeezed in three free throws for the Hotshots.
Libuw fouled out in the last quarter, easing defensive pressure on the Hoops.
Manibusan piled 12, Walter Mendez earned 10, and Marlon Cabrera scored eight points.
The Hoopaholics now have the fourth seed in the league’s A-bracket, and will join teams Blue Haus, Pacific Trading Company, and Saipan World Resort in the crossover playoffs.
Scores:
VFW-Joe’s Bar Hoopaholics 74 – J. Villacrusis 20, J. Lee 13, M. Manibusan 12, W. Mendez 10, M. Cabrera 8, J. Diaz 4, B. Palacios 2, J. Ulloa 2, C. Deleon Guerrero 1
Island Apparel Hotshots 64 – E. Peredo 20, G. Libuw 13, JR Barrios 13, R. Cayanan 5, M. Umali 1, M. Manalo 1, D. Fernandez 1
Quarterscores: 16-13, 42-24, 58-41, 74-64
