Team Underground’s Randel Nicodemus goes up for the heavily contested shot during a game of the Destroyers Basketball Club Invitational Basketball League 2024 at the TSL Sports Complex.
TEAM Underground earned their first win in the Destroyers Basketball Club Invitational Basketball League 2024 by dominating Star Water, 108-64, at the TSL Sports Complex on Sunday.
The first half had both teams battling for control of the pace.
Team Underground emphasized teamwork as they constantly moved the ball around to create open looks. Vincent Lumen and Jobert Merales acted as the sparkplug as they dropped two buckets each with teammate Rhen Francisco chipping in to gain the early lead.
Star Water, for their part, showcased their unselfishness led by Jericho De Leon and Reymart Gallardo, who combined for 16 points to stay close behind.
But toward the last 10 minutes, Star Water’s duo lost their touch and forced the rest of the team to step up. However, they struggled to find the bottom of the net while Team Underground prolonged their offensive run with Randel Nicodemus scoring seven consecutive points, including one triple, while the rest of the team delivered their fair share to gain a double-digit advantage, 49-37.
Team Underground’s second-half performance proved to be decisive as key players Nicodemus, Merales and Lumen continued to deliver on the offensive end while the rest of the team picked up the slack on the defensive end and turned multiple stops into made buckets to further extend their lead.
During the final seven minutes of the game, Nicodemus sizzled with eight straight points while Donnel Isip, Jan Lontoc and Jun Hernandez contributed three-pointers to widen the impressive score margin.
Precise shooting and solid defense overwhelmed Star Water, which struggled to keep up with the pace and intensity set by Team Underground before settling for defeat, 64-108.
Also joining the winner’s circle were GMPxYuman, which triumphed in a long-range battle over Savemore, 101-98; Islander Rent A Car, which powered past Saipan Tigers, 97-60; and Jacob’s Bakeshop, which outlasted Triskelion, 78-71.
