THE National Bureau of Investigation Region X (NBI-10) and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Defenders drew first blood in the Travelers Invitational Basketball League 2018, which officially opened here on June 28 at the Gamma Farm Gym in Barangay Tablon.
NBI-10 overcame a sloppy start in the first quarter with a strong showing in the final half to outlast the Ruffians via 71-67 win in the league’s curtain-raiser game.
Galmer Taban and Marlo Nercuit pulled 13 points apiece to lead NBI-10, while Cell Estologa and Jun Otagan contributed 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
NBI-10 enjoyed a lead by as much as 11 points in the third quarter before the Ruffians roared back in the final fourth quarter to make the game exciting.
Gerry Tamayo’s three-point play and Taban’s free throws kept the pace for NBI-10 in the dying seconds that sealed the victory.
Albert Pastor fired 23 points including five 3-pointers, while Ralph Ducusin and the towering Michael Chan contributed 13 and 10 markers, respectively, for Ruffians’ losing cause.
The PAO Defenders survived against the undermanned Mayor James Manabilang (MJM) team, 78-75 in the second game.
Monchet Collera led the Defenders with 24 points, while Jog-Jog Dingal muscled his way to score 20 points. John Salva also chipped in with 13.
PAO opened the game with a 16-4 run, before their lead was trimmed down to only three at the end of the first quarter, 21-18.
The Defenders pulled back a 12–point lead at the close of the half, 47-35, but they could not sustain a commanding lead.
Jan Babiera soared high with 48 points and led a fierce offensive in the third quarter as MJM fourth season.
“The league envisions camaraderie and sweating it out to get rid of those unwanted calories through the sport we love,” said Ravidas, a young presiding judge of MTC Alubijid.
They evened the match to its first deadlock at 57-all.
MJM even pulled its first taste of the lead, 71-70, in 2:36 minutes to play in the final canto after Babiera connected two charities.
But, Salva and Dingal were around to put off the fire as PAO got the needed break with a two-point lead, 74-72.
MJM had a chance to pull a deadlock in a crucial possession but lost its way after PAO made a steal with 1:10 minute to play.
“It was already a chance for us, but PAO snatched the ball,” said Judge Isagani Ravidas of MJM, who is also the league’s commissioner.
Collera padded the lead by three after he connected one of two in the free throw line from a foul in 1:01 minute left, but Salva put PAO out of danger after he completed the win from off the glass.
“We were undermanned because half of our teammates had important matters to take care of in Manila. But, we will be in full force soon,” Ravidas said.
Meanwhile, there are nine teams all-in-all joining the league ibcluding CVL Maguindanao, CVL/MAC/CAM/COS, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, 4ID Army and the defending champions Eagles Club.
Ravidas expressed thanks to the participating teams for positively responding.