PERENNIAL finalist Team Orange recorded the Ballpals tourney’s first ever double overtime win, 65-58 at the expense of Team Red in the ongoing 2nd President’s Cup at the open court of Pelaez Sports Center, Cagayan de Oro City.
Practically with only Balong Mabalot and Joven Shimomae carrying the fight for Team Orange in the early goings, Team Red leaned on the hot hands of Ed Gustilo and Toton Quijada to post a double-digit lead entering the pay-off period in the regulation.
But eventually abandoning their teamwork play in favor of individual game, the Wenny Daba-skippered Red dribblers lapsed into successive errors in the homestretch, allowing the Japan-bound Shimomae and company to tie the score, 48-all for the first overtime.
Coming with only seven players available, Team Orange of team-playing manager Dandan Guevarra was still trailing behind most of the way and narrowly forced another standoff, 53-all for a second 4-minute extension period.
It was at this juncture that Stev Panaz opened the match with a steal, followed by an 8-point scoring blitz off fast break spree in tandem with Mabalot (4 pts in 2nd overtime) that paved the way for Team Orange’s trouble-free finish.
“Grabe akong paningkamot walay pahulay sa rebound diwalwal na ang dila. Happy kaayo ko sa team effort makabalik ko’s Japan nga nakatilaw’g daug,” said the hard-working Shimomae, who backed up Mabalot’s 22 with his own 15 markers and 17 rebounds against the returning Ballpals defender Arnel Dy `Shine’.
Gustilo and Quijada paced Team Red with 17 and 12 points each.
“As one of the club’s past presidents, mora’g karon pa lang gyod nahitabo nga nagdaug sa double overtime,” later said Guevarra, also the former village chair of Brgy. 16.
“Makalingaw kaayo labaw pa sa championship,” added tournament director Andit Mendoza.
In the preliminary bout, reigning 40-up titlist Team Black defeated Team Gray, 57-41 for its second-straight win.
“Dako kaayo ilang bag-o nga sentro pero gatabangan namo’g karaw everytime makadawat og bola,” Archer Lingaton said of the former Cebu league standout Labares.
Team Gray won its first match against Red, 55-48 with Buting Acaylar coming up with 21 points.
“Pero ambot kontra Black wala man nidula,” one teammate of Acaylar was overheard as saying. (JJF)