Thursday, March 08, 2007 Orange, Green teams face in double bill By Lynde Salgados
BOTH Orange and Green teams flirted defeat. But taking another one shot of courage was all they needed to emerge triumphant on Tuesday night's double-header matches of Club 92's First Inter-color tourney in 2007 at Macasandig covered court here.
The spirited Orange cagers, who overhauled a twin-digit deficit, struck hard in the fourth and final quarter then mellowed a bit when they managed to steal the lead.
However, Jet Yaranon hit a big trey and another fastbreak play from him broke the game wide open. Only a courageous play in the endgame stretch rewarded Orange a nail-biting 111-107 victory.
Like the hapless Blue, the Green Lancers were also dictating the game in the first two quarters. They took the expansion squad, Gray, lightly at the start of the second half.
"Medyo hayahay among linya karon kay nikusog unya walay labad. Pa easy-easy lang si Insik (Jim Vincent Lim) motira sa gawas kay naay nadugang nga duha ka saligando," Green's team manager, Kane Acedera confidently told this writer at the half.
Taking it easy was not the case, however, in the final half as the Gray tandem of Totoy Cortez and Jan Jan Cielo took the most offensively and Bobax Echalico sank back-to-back baskets from beyond the arc to almost turn the table on Green.
Aided by the erratic moves of Jezryl Celiz and Cortez in the dying seconds where Gray had made the surprise of seizing the lead by two, Ronald Biongcog drove strong to the basket to force an overtime.
The upset-conscious Green, with a newfound courage on their side, persevered in the extension period, 101-98.
"Kon napasa lang `tong bola sa last 11 seconds daug na unta `mi kay nakalabaw `mi sa coast-to-coast layup ni Cortez. Pero at least fighter among team bisan gagmay. Wala pa miy daug pero puro close fight among pilde," Echalico said.
Still, it was simply another big night for the fancied Deña and Biongcog brothers.
Jiji and Celbon Deña paced Orange with 23 and 22 points each, while Rhoel and Ronald Biongcog presided the unbeaten Green (3-0) with 26 and 20 markers apiece.
Jet Yaranon and Parrel had 28 and 23 for Blue while Cortez and Cielo scored 32 and 17, respectively, for Gray's third-straight loss.
Games resume tonight with the Deña siblings and company facing the defending champion, Black Spiders in the 6:30 p.m. curtain raiser.
