Joshbianc, Orix clash for title
-A A +AWednesday, August 22, 2012
UNDEFEATED Joshbianc Motors and No. 6 Orix Metro will play for the championship in the Fil-Sino All Asian Countertrade Inc. 2nd conference intercolor tournament
Joshbianc will be armed with a twice-to-beat advantage against Orix Metro when they tangle tonight, Wednesday, 7 pm at the TTHS Po Hang Gym.
In the semifinals, Joshbianc relied on an explosive duo of Joshua Co and Bobby Yap to pull away from MRT Gentech, 112-93 while a second half surge carried Orix over No. 2 Atlantic Auto Parts, 110-104.
Co scored 44 points and Yap sunk 12 treys to finish with 38 points.
In the 1st half, the duo of Co with 32 points and Yap with 21 points outscored MRT to post a commanding 61-39 lead. Monroe Chua had 12 points and Rey Pandoro with 7 points for Gentech.
Pandoro added 16 points in the 3rd canto, as they cut the deficit to 77-68.
Pandoro continued to star for MRT, as he scored 10 more points with support from Charlton Ong's 6 points.
However, Joshbianc countered with top center Arnol Laureño scoring all of his 15 points in the quarter while Yap added 14 points to carry Joshbianc to the finals.
Daniel Lo added 9 points for Joshbianc.
Pandoro finished with 33 points, Monroe Chua added 14 points, Ong and Tim Garrucho shot 13 points each and Bol Manaloto made 7 points.
In the 2nd game, No. 2 Atlantic Auto Parts looked like it would escape the upset axe, as they posted a 65-47 lead at the break.
But the dangerous Orix, which upset No. 3 Johann Kendrick in the quarterfinals, made its move in the 3rd quarter on a balanced offensive spearheaded by Kenderson Hao's 8 points to draw closer at 79-74.
The momentum has clearly shifted to Orix, as Robbie Jalando-on was unstoppable in the payoff quarter as he fired 21 points complemented by teammate Pao Pao Lim with 8 points to overtake Atlantic, even as Ren Ren Lacson scored 10 points while Mark Lo and Michael Ang scattered 6 points apiece.
Jalando-on finished with 40 points, Hao shot 18 points, Lim contributed 14 points and RJ Iligan had 9 points.
Lacson paced Atlantic with 28 points, Mark Lo picked up 19 points while Joel Masadia delivered 16 points and Michael Ang 15 points. (Stephen Tan)
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on August 22, 2012.
Sports
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