YAP CUP RESUMES: ITOGON JOINS LT ATOP MEN’S BASKETBALL; SABLAN REMAIN UNBEATEN

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet

Itogon took shared command of the Benguet Basketball League even as Sablan remains the only unbeaten team in the Benguet Women’s Volleyball League of the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup over the weekend. Itogon came from 10 points down to beat rival Tuba, 108- 97, last Saturday at the Benguet Sports Complex and joined defending La Trinidad at 9-1 (win-loss) to continue its dominance of rival Tuba in the second season of men’s basketball.

Former University of the Cordilleras big man Chad Villanueva took charge of Itogon’s offense as he registered a double-double, 21 points and 15 rebounds for the win which came in the absence of leader Kim Padawag. He added eight assists and had one steal and block. Four other Itogon players scored in double digits led by big man Michael Dannang with 22 points and 20 rebounds. John Rasec Ganilo, Sachi Cabellero and Lenz Antolino chipped in 14 points each for Itogon.

The short-handed Tuba who had six men mostly guards had 22 points and 17 rebounds by Cyril de Vera, 21 from Syrick Banana and 11 from Nelvin Turtoga. This as Sablan defeated Itogon’s women’s volleyball squad which missed its captain and most veteran player Reynae Arances in the first two sets then arrived from the Benguet Electric Cooperative office in Baguio early in the third, but was unable to stop the Sablan momentum as Itogon fell, 15-25, 19-25, 18-25. Tuba fell to 8-3 and sole third with a game remaining against a fast-charging Kabayan on January 16.

Former Itogon leader Ferdinand Sapalong had his first best player of the game recognition when he made 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Kapangan past Tublay, 102-91, also last Saturday. Also last Saturday, a sluggish Bokod re-started the league’s season as it overcame a slow start and poor free throw shooting to hand Atok a 108-71 beating.
Former Baguio College of Technology Aton Roy Pulac led Bokod with 11 points and 14 rebounds, while “power guards” Ray Bilibli and John Ric Buenaventura led all scorers with 26 and 24 points, respectively.

Shane Balnges added 10 markers for the first season bridesmaid. Atok’s two Kurts, Tamiray and Limpayos led their team anew with 24 and 17 points as well as hauling 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively. Tamiray is the league’s scoring leader with 31.75 points per game. Lindon De Guzman drained eight treys and finish with a league second best of 53 points to lead Mankayan past Bakun, 116-99. De Guzman, who averages a league second best of 29.45 ppg, dished
11 assists in the process in a double-double showing. Josua Artime, Nel Bondad and Zeus Candelario added 24, 16 and 14 markers as Mankayan bounced back from a 77-88 setback against Tuba before the Christmas break and improved to even four.

Fernando Bacani, Jr. had 19 points and 11 rebounds to lead Buguias past Kibungan, 79-67, as Buguias improved to 5-4 and maintain its seventh place standing. Jerry Olsim added 16 points and 11 boards, Jumar Pulido had a similar 16 and Allan Pau Intervalo added 10 and pulled a team high 14 rebounds for the team. Norman Danglay and John Paul Juralbal had 20-15 and 15-11 (points-rebounds) to lead Kibungan which fell to 2-8 and 11th spot. Malone Benito had 29 points and 12 rebounds to lead Kabayan to a 99-67 shell lacking of cellar dweller Sablan. Diether Bulso and Jim Coyom led Sablan with 25-12 and 10-20 (points-rebounds), respectively.

On Tuesday, Kabayan earned its seventh victory in nine games with a no sweat walk-over win over Atok which had four players after the 15-minute defaulting time. Bokod, on the other hand, used a 31-4 second quarter blitz to steam roll past Bakun, to improve to 6-3. Balnges led four other Bokod players in double digit with 32 points and 12 rebounds to win the game where they scored about 30 points per quarter. John Ric Buenaventura had 16 markers, Pulac had 14, the returning older Buenaventura, June Rey chipped 12 points and 10 boards, while Ameer Pablo added 10 for Bokod. Bokod shot a miserable 7 of 18 from the free throw line with Anthony Lamsis, Jr. making 1 of 7 from the charity line despite pulling a game high 13 boards.

Ryan Contada led Bakun anew with 26 markers as Bakun fell to 1-10 actually in tie with Sablan but has the upper hand with its win over the latter. Meanwhile last Sunday, Sablan won its eight straight game with nary a loss to remain the only unbeaten squad in women’s competition, even as Kapangan welcomed back two of its starters to
stave a fighting Tuba for a four set victory and assure itself a top three finish. Polon had a measly 13 points on 11 attack points and two service aces to lead her team anew as she earned her fourth best player of the game, the most in the league and in tie with rookie Rudolf Eilinger in men’s basketball.

Itogon fell to 4-4 and must win all its remaining games to contend for the fourth seed and twice to beat advantage in the quarterfinals. Roselyn Suhat had 13 markers -9 attack -1 ace -3 blocks on her first game since the four-set loss to La Trinidad at home in November last year. Kapangan improved to 7-1, while Tuba fell to 5-3 in tie with Tublay which won 25-6, 25-14, 25- 15 earlier that day when Lyka Clemente scored 13 points on 11 attack points and two aces. Again, top player Maricar Pilay sat out the last two sets after scoring five in the first and arriving barely to beat
the defaulting time. Buguias bucked the absence of its top two players Geneveb Buyagan and Desiree Joy Banih as
it swept Atok 25-18, 25-20, 27-25.

Evangeline Bay-an took command of the team in the absence of the two as she scored 10 points on 6 kills and 4 aces.
Eloisa Codiaman returned from a one game absence as she scored 13 points on 8 kills and 5 aces to lead Kabayan to a 25-13, 25-15, 25-10 sweep of Bakun and put itself at a possible eighth place finish and a spot in the quarterfinals. Kates Gacad took her second best player of the game recognition as she scored 10 markers on 2 attack points, 5 aces and 3 blocks for La Trinidad’s 25-12, 25-16, 25-21 victory over Mankayan to improve to 9-1 and sole second. Mankayan remains at eighth spot with a 3-5 record.

Games this Saturday in basketball are: Atok opposite La Trinidad; Bakun and Tublay; Bokod versus Buguias; Kapangan against Mankayan; and, Itogon tangling with Kabayan. On Saturday in volleyball: Atok – Tuba; Bakun – Bokod; Buguias – Kibungan; Kabayan – Sablan; Kapangan – Mankayan; and the awaited Itogon – Tublay encounter.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN

Community Billboard

Amianan Balita Ngayon