Team Marianas’ Marvin Rabauliman pulls up for the corner jumper during a semifinal game against Bridge Capital in the Michelob Ultra Cup 2024 at the Ada gym on Wednesday.
Team Marianas’ Coby Santos makes contact with Bridge Capital’s Matt Duenas as he attempts to drive down the lane during a semifinal game against Bridge Capital in the Michelob Ultra Cup 2024 at the Ada gym on Wednesday.
TEAM Marianas and New Changming will play for the championship of the Michelob Ultra Cup 2024 after triumphing in their respective semifinal games on Wednesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The highly favored Team Marianas have yet to show any weakness as they outscored Bridge Capital, 81-68, to maintain an undefeated record going into the finals.
Teamwork was the biggest strength of Team Marianas as their chemistry shined throughout all four quarters.
They displayed great on-ball and off-ball movements in the opening quarter to create shot opportunities from all around the court. Their big men, Marvin Rabauliman and Antoni Ogumoro, dominated the paint with a combined nine points while Douglas Schmidt and Aiferson Atan contributed a bucket each from beyond the arc.
At the other end, each of Bridge Capital’s players executed their role according to plan. Matt Duenas ignited the assault with the first five points while Francisco Mizutani sank two triples to cut the lead, 15-21.
Bridge Capital, however, failed to maintain efficiency in the transition to the second period as they were held down to 11 points while Team Marianas took over the highlight reel. Chioni Dela Cruz, who only had two points, suddenly exploded on the offensive end, draining three consecutive makes followed by a three-pointer while the rest of Team Marianas contributed their share to push a double-digit advantage, 39-26.
The fight was not over, however, as Bridge Capital’s biggest run came during the second half of the game. They were able to overwhelm Team Marianas with constant defensive pressure, turning each successful stop into made three-pointers on the transition led by Tony Kim, Mattthew Richardson and Mizutani, and cutting the deficit back within a single digit.
However, Team Marianas’ Coby Santos, who struggled in the first half, found his second wind as he took over the scoreboard with seven points to give his team a 10-point lead, 55-45.
But Bridge Capital never showed signs of giving up as they went all out in the fourth and final quarter. Duenas and Kim, alongside Chris Sanchez, stood at the front line with consistent shots in hopes to close the distance.
However, with every shot made, Team Marianas had an answer on the other end. Rabauliman prolonged the punishment from underneath the rim, leading his team with seven points while Santos and Ogumoro added support from within the perimeter to stay afloat and secure the win, 81-68.
The other finalist
New Changming trounced the Saints, 69-55, to claim a spot in the finals.
The first three quarters were filled with exchanges by both sides, but it was New Changming that held the slight lead thanks to their height advantage. The Saints lost touch during the fourth quarter as their rushed shots only turned into fastbreak finishes by New Changming’s Ronald Bernardo who delivered 10 points to carry his team to victory.
Scores
Team Marianas 81 – Marvin Rabauliman 21, Chioni Dela Cruz 13, Coby Santos 12, Douglas Schmidt 7, Antoni Ogumoro 9, Aiferson Atan 7, Airson Atan 5, Jack Lizama 2
Bridge Capital 68 – Matt Duenas 14, Francisco Mizutani 14, Chris Sanchez 11, Tony Kim 10, Matthew Richardson 9, Steve King 8
