HAPEE REMAINS UNSCATHED; WANGS, AMA SCORE
Start strong and finish strong.
Coaches always remind their wards to do such, and for the Hapee Fresh Fighters on Monday, they heeded coach Ronnie Magsanoc’s words well as they scored their third victory in the 2015 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup with a 79-66 victory over the MJM M-Builders at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Ola Adeogun captained the early assault, scoring 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter to ignite the fast start for the Fresh Fighters. He also hauled down eight rebounds in the win.
It was Troy Rosario’s turn in the fourth period, as he led a killer 9-0 run to quash MJM’s hopes for a comeback. The beanpole forward finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
“It’s a good test of character sa mga boys. When things are not going right, they come together and play tough defense,” said Hapee coach Ronnie Magsanoc, as the Fresh Fighters remain unscathed after three outings. “We got a good start at yun ang naging puhunan namin.”
His worries now shift to their next game against Bread Story-LPU next Monday, where Hapee might lose as many as seven players due to its school commitments for the Philippine Collegiate Champions League.
Baser Amer added 11 points and five rebounds in the win, as Bobby Ray Parks had an all-around game with his 10 markers, eight boards, six dimes, two steals, and a block.
Coming hot off the gates, the Fresh Fighters grabbed a 15-point halftime lead, 39-24, and continued to stack the odds against the M-Builders, with the lead reaching 20, 50-30, midway through the third period.
But with the breaks not coming their way, MJM knew that it had to do something against its mighty foes.
Without coach Nash Racela who was ejected after incurring two technical fouls just before the first half ended, and with Gryann Mendoza following their mentor to the dugout after being called with a disqualifying foul for physically contacting an official, the M-Builders slowly chipped away the lead behind Mac Belo in the third.
The uprising continued in the payoff period, where an 11-0 run capped off by a Glenn Khobuntin fastbreak nipped Hapee’s lead down to six, 67-61, with 5:45 left to play.
But the Fresh Fighters had enough gas in their tank to answer right back, unloading a 9-0 run, highlighted by a dunk from Rosario, to once again own a 15-point advantage, 76-61, with less than three minutes remaining, and basically end the M-Builders’ comeback bid.
Belo finished with 16 points to lead MJM, while Mike Tolomia got all of his 10 points in the second half, as the M-Builders fell to 0-3.
In the first game, Wangs Basketball bounced back from a sorry loss to MP Hotel with an 80-72 drubbing of Racal Motors.
Michael Miranda had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds to lead Wangs to its second win in three games.
Rocky Acidre also had 15 markers, while Macky Acosta and Paolo Pintejos combined for 25.
“Ok yung kumpyansa ng mga bata ngayon unlike sa last game namin. Naging lesson sa kanila yun,” said Wangs Basketball coach Pablo Lucas. “Yung intensity at aggressiveness sa depensa, andun. Maganda yung ball movement at na-set yung mga plays today.”
Raymond Jamito anchored the winless Alibaba with 19 points and 12 boards.
In the third game, Philip Paniamogan waxed hot in the fourth quarter to lead AMA University in a come-from-behind 85-76 win over MP Hotel.
Paniamogan had 10 in the payoff period and finished with 16 points as the Titans blanked the Warriors for four minutes in the payoff period to turn a 64-67 disadvantage to an 82-67 lead with 2:97 left to play.
“Expected na ganun ang lalaruin ni Philip. Beterano na sya sa NCAA at sa D-League,” said AMA coach Mark Herrera.
Jay-R Taganas notched a double-double of 17 markers and 18 rebounds to lead AMA to its first win this conference, while Bobby Balucanag also tallied a double-double of his own with 13 points and 11 boards.
Ralf Olivares also had 13 markers and eight rebounds in the victory.
Jumabon Bulac led MP Hotel with 15 points, while Emmanuel Calo got 13 in the losing effort. (RL)
The Scores:
First Game:
Wangs Basketball 80 – Acidre 15, Miranda 15, Acosta 13, Pontejos 12, Montemayor 7, Acuña 5, Montuano 5, Mendoza 4, Rosopa 2, Arambulo 2, Lina 0.
Racal Motors 72 – Jamito 19, Viernes 13, Di Gregorio 10, Gabawan 9, Teodoro 7, Ruaya 6, Ortuoste 6, Asuncion 2, Ibay 0, Gil 0, Mercader 0, Saitanan 0, Publico 0.
Quarters: 19-19, 42-35, 63-59, 80-72.
Second Game:
Hapee 79 – Adeogun 18, Rosario 14, Amer 11, Parks 10, Thompson 9, Lanete 7, Newsome 5, Hayes 3, dela Cruz 2, Van Opstal 0, Long 0.
MJM 66 – Belo 16, Tolomia 10, Alolino 9, Khobuntin 8, Perez 7, Mendoza 7, Pogoy 6, Jose 2, Javelona 1, Cruz 0, Iñigo 0, Neypes 0.
Quarters: 21-10, 39-24, 63-48, 79-66.
Third Game:
AMA University 85 – Taganas 17, Paniamogan 16, Balucanag 13, Olivares 13, Eriobu 10, Purdy 7, Sabangan 5, Camasura 2, Cobillo 2, Jordan 0, Magpantay 0.
MP Hotel 76 – Bulac 15, Calo 13, McCarthy 12, Allen 11, Pacquiao 8, Morillo 6, Sumido 3, Escosio 6, Yaya 2, Belorio 2, Collado 2, Hainga 0, Landicho 0.
Quarters: 21-20, 40-46, 62-65, 85-76.
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