GOLDEN Pine Hotel moved closer to their championship dream after edging Dagsian United squad in bracket C in the on-going eliminations of the 2nd Budz Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament.
The hoteliers remained unbeaten with 4-0 after securing an 87-82 victory at the Easter College gym Saturday evening.
After a 2-8 deficit in the first two minute of the match up, GPH came rallying around Dagsian U and closed the first period with a two digit edge, 25-15, with Vic Manalili exploding in the offense dropping down 10 straight points.
GPH’s Noel Balionga dropped three of his five three-pointers in the second quarter, together with Kevin Orduña and Lye Singalaoa for a 20 point blowout that close the first half, 44-33, Dagsian trailing.
Dagsian tried to recover in the third canto with Johnson Carlos and Flynn Dao-wan carving 21 points that helped narrow the hotelier’s lead by seven at the end of the period, 66-59, GPH in front.
Orduña managed to convert the first basket for GPH at the break of the pay-off period but it was Aries Gazmin and Mark Dipasupil who answered the call for Dagsian converting 11 straight points that tied the ballgame at 70 all with 7:50 running down the clock.
Dagsian managed to stay within the game as both teams tied the ball game for three more times before GPH took control on the rebounds with Jesse Tomlen highlighting his team with a double-double figure of 17 points and 10 boards.
“It seems that everything is going well for the team, hopefully this feat will remain until we close the whole of the eliminations,” said GPH playing coach Balionga.
“We were down in the beginning and nearly been overthrown at the last few minutes but the secret for winning tonight was the better finish we had, more importantly the offensive execution,” Balionga added.
Orduña led Golden Pine with 20 points, while Manalili and Dave Stapely added 12 and 11 markers respectively.
Carlos capped out with 17 points, Dipasupil added 16, Dao-wan generated 14, while Gazmin had 11 points including 13 rebounds.