Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Dole Juicers take early lead
POLOMOLOK, South Cotabato -- Host Dole Juicers trampled the visiting Sarangani Migs, 99-92, in their first encounter Tuesday last week at the Dole Gym here to command a solo early lead in the Socsksargen Basketball League (SBL) Inaugural Conference.
Meanwhile, the Royals of the East Asia Royale Hotel made a seven-to-nothing run in the last 48 seconds of the first game Tuesday to waste the Tampakan Copper and to share a one-zero win-loss card with the Koronadal City-based DPWH-Del Rio Resort.
Dole Juicers also short-circuited Tampakan Copper, owned by the Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI), in the pre-opener Saturday morning.
The Juicers gave the Sarangani Migs' banana growers a chance when the visitors took the lead for the first time less than seven minutes before the final buzzer.
Both teams tied three times in the last canto before the Juicers proceeded to demolish the banana growers by dumping 18 points in the last five minutes.
The husky center Gabriel Maloloy-on sunk 25 markers that was combined with Danilo Baldosano's 21 to account more than half of the Juicers' score for the night.
Point guard Mike Etrata, forward Rugie Cyril Sulla and guard Eric Bayona connected 12 apiece to firm up the Juicers' seven-point final lead.
Even the ejection of Etrata about 1:20 before the end of the third for hitting umpire Rolly Dupalco with the ball did not matter to the Juicers as it ended the quarter 73-66 to their favor.
SBL Commissioner Danny Billano meted Etrata a one-day suspension for the unruly conduct.
Dupalco who was serving the ball at the inbound for the Juicers cited Etrata for traveling when he held the ball after releasing it and then dribbled away to their side of the court.
Etrata apparently got irritated with the call and instantly finger-pointed the umpire who reacted with a technical foul that triggered the point guard to jab the ball to him.
On the other hand, newcomer Joenel Sarcauga poured in 18 points to lead Sarangani Migs' point production.
Veterans Redentor Polistico, Jack Mamalumpong and Rolando Pagay registered 15, 14 and 13 points each in their losing efforts.
Center Anthony Timon chipped in 12 points to help Sarangani Migs established the first deadlock of the game at 77-all early in the fourth.
In the first game, Royals under the tutelage of assistant coach Jonathan "Jones" Tayoto did the improbable by triggering an incredible nine-zero run in the last one minute or less of the game, nailing the stunted Tampakan Copper at 77 while zooming from 76 to 85 through the combined efforts of American Jonathan Sisson, Ernie Gonzaga, Rodolfo Chagas and Norberto Andayran.
Overall, it was Chagas and Dodoy Dadivas who provided the much-needed firepower by successfully firing 19 shots into the target.
For their part, the miners heavily relied with seasoned Joven Almacin and new face Mikhael Fernandez to carry the game till the fourth minutes of the last canto.
Almacin delivered 20 while Fernandez handed 19 including five trios -- the biggest in the game and for the night.
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(June 26, 2006 issue)
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