LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – La Trinidad drew first blood with a come from behind 100-82 win over Itogon in the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup Benguet Basketball League at the Benguet Sports Complex here Wednesday night at the start of their best of three finals.
Down eight early in the fourth, La Trinidad, powered by big men Bryan Gravilez and Armando Pollante as well as Jamil Sultan and Jason Alvaran brought the capital town back to contention and steal the game.
Itogon fell into a 13 – point hole in the first canto before eventually taking a 34-33 advantage early in the second quarter on a 7-0 run.
But Alvaran sunk a triple as La Trinidad retook the lead 36 – 33 to start a three – point barrage from both teams.
Jan Ganilo answered with a trey before Alvaran responded with his own that was nullified by Sachi Caballero with Itogon leading 37 – 40.
Itogon enjoyed a five – point lead but La Trinidad fought back and tied the game at 52-all on a Pollante twinner
Itogon’s Brixson Domsing gave Itogon a 52-54 lead with 6.3 seconds left before the half time break.
A trey by Ganilo and a twinner from Kim Padawag saw Itogon take its biggest lead at seven, 59-52, barely 90 seconds in the third canto.
Caballero made it an eight – point Itogon lead with a triple at the top of the key before Pollante trimmed it to six, 54-62.
La Trinidad then made it a three point affair, 61 – 64, with Alvaran scoring from beyond the arc and a basket underneath from Sultan.
Sultan’s and one saw Trinidad come to within two, 64-66, halfway in the third.
Back – to – back treys by Ganilo gave Itogon a 68 – 75 advantage with two minutes left in the third.
Ganilo made it a 68 – 77 lead with a basket from underneath before Tuazon connected from deep as La Trinidad still trails 71 – 77 advantage.
Villanueva’s basket with 15 seconds left gave Itogon a 71 – 79 lead going to the final quarter.
Trinidad started the fourth quarter with on an 8 – 2 run and moved to within two, 79 – 81, four of which from Gravilez, but Caballero hit another trey and give a breathing room for Itogon, 79 – 84.
Sultan then completed a three – point play chipping Itogon’s lead to one, 83 – 84, with 5:51 left in the game.
Gravilez tied the ball game, 84 – all with 5:14 left after scoring one out of two from the free throw line after being fouled by Itogon’s Michael Dannang.
Alvaran gave La Trinidad its first lead since the second quarter with a trey, 87-84.
Gravilez shot on a Pollante assist gave La Trinidad an 89 – 86 lead, with under four minutes left.
Alvaran gave La Trinidad a 93 – 88 advantage with 2:30 remaining when he connected from deep.
Shawn Aquisay extended the lead to six when he halved his free throws.
Aquisay then fouled Padawag who missed his second free throw, 40.9 seconds left as La Trinidad leads, 94 – 89.
Villanueva was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct sending Sultan to the foul line and ball possession.
Gravilez led with 24 points and 12 rebounds.
“I didn’t know what happened when we lost that lead. But we regrouped and got lucky later,” said Gravilez. Alvaran scored the same all from deep.
Sultan had 16 points, seven from fast break, while Aquisay had 10 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the win.
Ganilo led all scorers with 25, while Caballero added 23.
Three other Itogon players finished in double figures with Padawag making 14, and big men Villanueva and Dannang added 12 and 10, respectively while adding 17 and 14 boards, respectively.
Game 2 will be on Monday, March 17, also at the Benguet Sports Complex Gym. CEGYCC Release
