Blacks, Reds make playoffs

On a day the games turned real serious, the Reds and the Blacks grabbed crucial wins that mattered most last January 24.
The Reds uncorked a big windup in the final canto to turn back the hard-fighting Greens, 76-67, and then watched the Blacks escape against a hardluck White team, 74-66, in the other match to seal a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs of the ongoing Mayor Rody-Inday Sara All-Media Basketball Tournament at the Davao City Recreation Center.
The troika of Rico Jhone Biliran (Mindanews), Jerry Rentucan (ABS-CBN) and Norly Morata (GMA) conspired for a combined 54-point output to lift the Reds who missed the services of ace guard Terver “Inday Tanini” Quillano. Biliran fired nine of his team-high 20 points in the crucial fourth quarter, including a triple that doused cold water on the rallying Greens.
The Greenies were led by slotman Boom Jerios (GMA) with 23 and Carl Eric “Idol Dagul” Alindao (ABS-CBN). Jon Develos (Mindanao Times) had nine, but the Greens’ efforts in the endgame fell short.
“We fought hard but they really stood tough in the end,” said Romy Sabaldan of Sun Star Davao, team captain of the Greens.
In the second match, the Blacks came back from a seven-point deficit in the first quarter to take the fight away from the Whites who missed around eight fastbreak opportunities in the endgame that could have turned the contest  around.
The Blacks were up 63-62 with 3:14 left when Philip Tumaroy (ABS-CBN) and Belarmino missed two consecutive unmolested fastbreak attempts. Jun Digamon (GMA) fired a 10-footer to tow the Blacks ahead 65-62. Jet Encila (Sun Star) answered back for the Whites 64-65 with 2:08 left, but Allan Abais (ABS-CBN) canned two free throws for a 67-64 cushion. Two more misses by Bennieboy Angchay (ABS-CBN) and Encila sealed the doom for the Whites who will now have to beat the Reds twice to get a finals berth.
“We were just too unlucky. We were undermanned, but we fought hard. Sukol gihapon mi sa semis. Dili lang sila mokumpyansa,” said Moses Billacura, team captain of the Whites.  [NJB-City Sports]