The game was relatively even after the first ten minutes with Konflikt up by one, 20-19.
But as the game progressed, so did the Konflikt players, who posted 22 points in the second quarter, led by Ivan De Vero’s 11-point performance in that period. This gave Konflikt’s lead a seven-point cushion heading into halftime, 42-35.
Mobil, however, was determined to come out of the recess much stronger, and they proved it as they trimmed Konflikt’s seven-point lead to a four-point one in the first two and a half minutes of the third quarter.
The third period was a tennis match affair as both teams went back and forth on scoring chances and fastbreak opportunities.
Konflikt finally recovered the momentum in the closing minutes of the third as they increased their lead to nine heading into the final quarter.
Once the fourth quarter began, Konflikt looked poised to prevent another mental lapse in their play as they did in the opening minutes of the third when they gave their opponents a sign of life.
The defending champions played solid defense during the beginning of the fourth, while also crashing the boards to prevent Mobil from getting any second chance opportunities.
The play led to fastbreak points by Konflikt guards who were having a field day with the Mobil players who couldn’t get back on defense, and as a result, the defending champs had a comfortable 11-point lead with 4:59 left in the fourth.
After a Mobil timeout, the league’s first place team had a mini run of their own as they got the lead to within single digits with 3:27 left.
Konflikt got the lead back up to ten with about two minutes left via high percentage shots and second chance points, but Mobil came back strong, limiting their opponents to four points in the last two minutes, while scoring 11 big ones, including an offensive spark within the last forty seconds.
Despite outscoring Konflikt 26-20 in the final quarter, Mobil couldn’t extend their winning streak to four as they lost by three.
Konflikt’s De Vero was the game’s top scorer with 26 points. Jawn Joyner chipped in 14, while Edmark Mendoza had 13.
Mobil’s prolific player Jun Estolas scored 22 points in his team’s losing effort. Gyles Ruluked bucketed 12, and Ron Gamboa helped with 10 points.
This is Bayani-Mobil’s first loss of the season, putting them at a tie with VisMinda-Satbahi and the UPAA-Docomo Hoopaholics at 3-1.
As a result of the win, MAFEA-Konflikt is now at .500 for the season with a 2-2 record.
Namfrel-Proa is now the only undefeated team in the UFO-Bud Cup with a record of 2-0.
Scores:
MAFEA-Konflikt 79 – De Vero 26, Joyner 14, Mendoza 13, Esdrelon 11, Guiab 6, Talania 5, Barrios 2, Tumaquip 2
Bayani-Mobil 76 – Estolas 22, Ruluked 12, Gamboa 10, De Guzman 7, Aughenbaugh 7, Fernando 6, Lizama 6, Sharry 4, Gapor 2
Quarter scores: 20-19, 42-35, 59-50, 79-76
MDX-Armatech 110, MAFEA-RNV 77
In an earlier game that day, the UFO Docomo Pacific Cup-Masters Division had a high scoring affair between MDX-Armatech and MAFEA-RNV with the former beating the latter in blowout fashion, 110-77.
MAFEA was ahead after the first quarter, 16-12, due to the fact they had Ed Manalili, Elmer Pineda, Danny Bicera, and Jun Guirey each scoring four points.
MDX answered with 31 points in the second quarter behind James Abuy and Ariel Jinang’s combined 17 points in the period, but only led MAFEA by five, 43-38, heading into intermission.
MDX came out of the break running, scoring 29, while limiting MAFEA to 15 to go up 72-53 after three quarters.
They then broke the game open in the fourth scoring a whopping 38 points behind a 15-point show from Martin Moreno to seal the 33-point blowout victory.
MDX’s Moreno and Abuy had monster games, each scoring 29 and 28, respectively. Jinang chipped in 12, while Bernard Montano had 11.
MAFEA’s Pineda scored 17 and led the way for his team’s losing effort. Manalili, Bicera, and Ed Cosino were the other double-figure scorers for MAFEA.
Scores:
MDX-Armatech 110 – Moreno 29, Abuy 28, Jinang 12, Montano 11, Trajano 9, Tobias 7, Banatasa 6, Crisostomo 6, Malasarte 2
MAFEA-RNV 77 – Pineda 17, Manalili 15, Bicera 15, Cosino 10, Vistal 8, Dela Torre 6, Guirey 4, Sevilla 2
Quarter scores: 12-16, 43-38, 72-53, 110-77
