UNO-R A Davies subdue USLS President’s Gym

IN A battle of unbeaten teams, UNO-R A Davies Philippines survived USLS President’s Gym 63-60 and Allure DM/Bobcat overpowered UNO-R-B 101-88 in Class A action of the 13th Tan Kek Pin Memorial Basketball Cup played last Sunday at TTHS Po Hang Gym.

UNO-R A is assured of the top spot at 6-0 while USLS closed out its elimination round 6-1 and will finish second. Both teams will advance to the semifinal round.

Davies was scoreless for the last 3:30 in the ballgame, with Mark Ramos scoring the last two points for UNO-R A at 63-56.

However, President’s Gym was not able to take advantage of the situation, with only Janus Calma delivering the last 4 points for USLS to cut the deficit at 63-60 at the 1:58 mark of the game.

Both teams never scored again, as UNO-R committed turnovers and missed their free throws while USLS had several chances to tie the game but misfired from beyond the arc.

UNO-R A took the upper hand at the half 37-35, as both teams provided a balanced contribution from their players led by Davies’ Jade Paul Calma’s 8 points and Ritcer Santillan’s 6 points against Kevin Villafranca and Bernales’ 6 points each.

Both teams played to several deadlocks until the 3rd quarter when Davies scored 10 straight points led by Francis Parreño and Rodel Canino for a 53-43 lead late in the 3rd quarter.

President’s Gym battled back with a 12-1 run from the late 3rd quarter up to the 6:40 mark of the payoff quarter to grab the lead at 55-54 on a Janus Calma layup.

But the offense of USLS sputtered in the next 4 minutes, as it scored only a point courtesy of Rendell Bernales while Davies’ Canino powered his way in the low post to give UNO-R some breathing room at 61-56 with 3:52 left in the game.

Jade Paul Calma led a balanced Davies offensive with 11 points, Rodel Canino added 9 points all in the 2nd half, Joemel Paderog scored 8 points, Cedric Eslabon picked up 7 points, Ritcer Santillan had 6 points while Ramos, Parreño and Kim Dimaranan contributed 5 points each.

Janus Calma had a game-high 20 points, Mark De la Cruz and Bernales managed 7 points each, Villafranca had 6 points while Sevilla, Darryl Endona and Scott Salvacion delivered 5 points each.

Earlier, Arnol Laureño was unstoppable in the lowpost in the 1st quarter with 16 points while teammate Stanley Tizon provided support with 9 points to give Bobcat a 31-16 opening quarter advantage.

Laureño continue to pound it inside in the next 2 quarters with 10 points and Philip Famucol added 11 points, as Allure pushed the lead to a commanding 82-57, even as Marlon Romero scored 11 points and Ramon de La Torre made 7 points.

Laureño finished with 26 points, Robbie Jalando-on added 20 points, Famucol and Tizon chipped in 11 points apiece, Kurt Goodwin shot 9 points, Ritche Militante picked up 8 points while Leo Bat-og and Oquindo had 6 points each.

UNO-R B was led by Romero with 22 points, Fred Jay Parreño scored 18 points, De La Torre contributed 12 points, Buenaflor delivered 10 points, Jafet Claridad made 8 points and Crispin Oquindo contributed 6 points. (Stephen Tan/Contributor)