LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Defending champion and heavily favored La Trinidad was supposed to have a walk in the park but Kabayan was not easily impressed as it fought tooth and nail and lost just barely, a 66-65 defeat in the Cong. Eric Go Yap Cup Benguet Basketball League Saturday at the Benguet Sports Complex.
Even with newcomers Bryan Estepa and Aaron Nang-is from La Trinidad 2 and Bryan Gravilez and former Saint Louis University captain Shaun Aquisay beefing up the defending champion, Kabayan simply refused to wilt under pressure.
Kabayan even tied the ballgame at 59-all when Malone Benito halved his free throws.
Aquisay, however, sank a basket to make it 61-59 and 3:20 remaining. Kyle Naisud was fouled by Clyde Habon with 1:48 left in the clock, but the Kabayan sharpshooter failed to convert any of his free shots.
Habon then sank his basket for a four – point Trinidad lead, 63-59, and 1:35 left, but he fouled Benito in the ensuing game for his fifth and last foul. Benito drained his freebies as Kabayan came knocking on the door again, 63-61.
Aquisay then halved his free throws for a 64-61 Trinidad lead and 1:03 left in the game clock.
Benito then drained a twinner, 64-63, but Russel Tuazon was fouled by Naisod in the next play and drained both baskets for a 66-63 Trinidad lead, 12.7 seconds left. Benito again made a basket to come close to 66-65 with 6.7 seconds left.
Trinidad fumbled the next play setting up a chance for Kabayan for the upset but Rogie Torren just hit the rim on his desperate shot as time expired.
Jason Alvaran led all Trinidad scorers with 13, 10 of which came in the first quarter, while Estepa, Tuazon and Armando Pollante all scored 11 points with the big man adding 15 boards, eight dimes, two steals and a block.
Teofilo Alert led Kabayan with 19, Casio and Benito chipped in 13 a piece while Naisod came home with a measly nine markers.
“Even with Aquisay, Pollante, Habon, Graviles and Estepa, the team lacked chemistry,” summed Trinidad coach Jong del Rosario. He said the team needs to train together as it was the first time they played together. Pollante and Aquisay actually came just when the game was about to start as they were still playing in Baguio.
Kibungan, meanwhile, paraded former University of the Cordilleras John Paul Jularbal and with fellow newcomer fellow cop Romel Lavandia made short works of Bakun for an 82-65 victory in the second game.
While Jularbal topscored with 28 points including eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. But it was Lavandia who stole the show for last year’s last placed finish team as he scored the league’s first triple double – 17-13-10 (points, rebounds-assists).
Rex Kitayan led Bakun with 16 points, while Ryan Contada and Johnny Tayabing added 14 markers each.
Even after Itogon lost many of its top players, no problem as Sachi Caballero, Kim Padawag, Julius Tiangao and newcomers Lenard Cabanes and Nadres Bugnay all scored in double figures as last year’s third placer waylaid northern rival Mankayan, 98-80.
Cabanes led all scorers with 20, Bugnay with a 12 point – 15 rebound output on top of four assists and single steal and shot block for an all – around performance on his debut. Caballero, Padawag and Tiangao added 15, 13 and 10 points for the squad when they also welcomed former Mankayan top man and All-Star member Lenz Antolino.
It was an Itogon party all the way when it opened with a 32-16 lead to 22 midway in the third canto before fully blowing it out at 78-52 with 3:27 left in that quarter.
Libdon de Guzman and Nico Lagio led an almost new look Mankayan with 16 apiece.
Benguet Women’s V-League meanwhile debuts today with five games being played at the Benguet Sports Complex gym. CEGYCC Release
