While Mafea-Ali’i Konflikt fell, 97-91, team Cabalen-Noni marked their third win in the 2011 United Filipino Organization Basketball League-Budweiser Cup at the Tan Siu Lin Sports Complex.
Within a pool of double-digit scorers, both Lerio Pagarao and Kae Bernardo stood out at 22 points each while Wowie Abuel earned 19 and Rex Yabut piled 10. Pagarao held the Konflikts off on a solid 16-point run in the last 10 minutes.
Standing their ground wasn’t easy as Konflikt’s Jawn Joyner garnered 10 rebounds with two assists and one steal.
Yabut’s absence in the fourth quarter didn’t stop Pagarao from firing layups past JR Barrios and Jomar Tumaquir. Despite outrunning Noni, 28-27 late in the match, the Konflikts still failed to erase their six-point deficit.
Abuel had earlier launched a three-point shooting spree, landing four baskets for a 12 total in the third quarter.
Barrios fired back with a pair of 3’s and drew a foul from his layup eight minutes later. Both Joyner and Esdrelon added six points apiece and Tumaquip scored three, but it wasn’t enough to kick Noni off the lead.
Next to Yabut, Bart Demapan mustered eight points with eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals. Banjo Basilla and Bon Tamayo scored seven apiece.
Team Noni’s sole loss came from the UPAA-Hoopaholics, who defeated Visminda-Satbahi last Sunday.
Scores:
Cabalen-Noni 97 – L. Pagarao 22, K. Bernardo 22, W. Abuel 19, R. Yabut 10, B. Demapan 8, B. Tamayo 7, B. Basilla 7, G. Miranda 2
Mafea-Ali’i Konflikt 91 – E. Esdrelon 18, I. Devero 16, J. Joyner 15, J. Barrios 14, J. Tumaquip 11, E. Mendoza 9, J. Guiab 4, Cruz 2, B. Talania 2
Quarterscores: 24-23, 48-42, 70-63, 97-91
Armatech 92, Wings Travel 80
Meanwhile, the masters division’s team MDX-Armatech pummeled Cabalen-Wings Travel, 92-80 in the UFO league’s Visio-Docomo Cup.
Bernard Montano led Armatech’s offensive at 24 points, with James Abuy scoring 22.
Wings Travel’s Esel Mendoza and Tony Diaz equaled Montano with 24 points each but struggled to keep their pace in the second half.
Armatech fought an up-and-down battle, securing a 20-18 lead in the first quarter. 10 minutes later, Wings Travel evened the match, 41-41 on successful plays from Alex Ocampo and Tony Diaz.
Armatech came back minutes before the final buzzer on a flurry of jump shots from Martin Moreno and Toto Banatasa. Their 30-15 run in the fourth quarter swiftly did the job, with a combined 12 points from Abuy and Montano.
Moreno totaled 15 points, Banatasa scored nine, and center Bruce Berline and Art Trajano scored eight each.
Scores:
MDX-Armatech 92 – B. Montano 24, J. Abuy 22, M. Moreno 15, T. Banatasa 9, B. Berline 8, A. Trajano 8, B. Malasarte 4, F. Tobias 2
Cabalen-Wings Travel 80 – E. Mendoza 24, T. Diaz 24, A. Ocampo 15, E. Atalig 7, E. Santos 6, E. Yalung 2, R. Verano 2
Quarterscores: 20-18, 41-41, 62-65, 92-80
