|
Friday, June 23, 2006
Dole Juicers lead Socsksargen cage eliminations
POLOMOLOK, South Cotabato -- Host Dole Juicers trampled the visiting Sarangani Migs, 99-92, in their first ever encounter Tuesday 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 also at the Dole Gym that coincided with the 43rd Foundation Anniversary of Dole Philippines.
The Juicers had given the Sarangani Migs' banana growers a chance to beat them when they 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.
Husky center Gabriel Maloloy-on sunk 25 markers that was combined with Danilo Baldosano's 21 to account more than 50 percent 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 sentenced 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 erected 18 markers to dominate Sarangani Migs' point production.
Veterans Redentor Polistico, Jack Mamalumpong and Rolando Pagay registered 15, 14 and 13 points each to justify their quite long stint with the team that is being mainly supported by the Sarangani Agricultural Company Inc. (Saci) but named after Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene "Migs" A. Dominguez whose family owned the company and whose father is also the chairman of SMI's Board of Directors.
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 Alternate Team Governor and Assistant Coach Jonathan "Jones" Tayoto had virtually done a miracle with 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.
Sisson, alternately playing point-guard and off-guard duties with Dennis Gaurana, dumped 14 loads in all into the basket including three from behind the arc.
Team captain Angelito Tabanao aided with 10 mostly from within the field goal. Only one of his three-pointer sorties from the 45-degree angle of the left quarter had successfully connected.
American Coach Reverend Pastor Douglas Sisson, father of Jonathan, stayed in the background as he prepared Jones Tayoto to mainly handle the coaching when he would leave the city for the United States on the 29th of June for a seven-month mandatory furlough from his ministry.
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 in the night at that.
Apparently, Coach Jun Padal must have erred in fielding in the yet-to-sweat Marcial Villarosa and Jun-jun Barrameda during the crucial moment in the fourth. Villarosa committed series of errors that allowed the Royals to shoot like a rocket in the last one minute.
Center Jovani Alih, a Socsksargen born Indonesian descendant, helped with 16 mostly within the perimeter and two via charity.
At the 5:30 p.m. outing on Thursday (June 22) at the Calumpang covered court in General Santos City, the DPWH-Del Rio Resort and the Medex would try to outwit each other to be able to share the early limelight with the Dole Juicers.
In the second assignment at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, The Rebels and the Sarangani Migs would attempt to break their early bad spell, otherwise one of them would sit at the bottom rung with the Tampakan Copper.
Games on Saturday evening will be held at the Tupi Municipal Gym in Tupi, South Cotabato.
The SBL Inaugural Conference has been supported by the Philippine
Long Distance and Telephone Company that provided the SouthPhil Arts and Sports Promotion (SpasProm) the communication facilities for the live radio broadcast coverage of the games over DXGS-Phil Radio (Radyo PBA).
Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc., D. C. Ciudad Merchandising, Longtron Computerized Electronic Scoreboard, the Philippine Institute of Technology (PIT), WGS and Associates Agency of Philam Plans, Inc., and the Good Morning Native Coffee-Kape Barako are likewise lending material support to the tournament. (Press release)
(June 23, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
