D3: Delaware Titans avenges loss, stops GK Warriors, 63-34 (35 and Over)

By Jun Rana

Displaying its finest form yet in the tournament, the Delaware Titans scored an impressive 63-34 thumping of the GK Warriors in Day 3 of the 35 and Over Division. The Titans avenged their loss against the Warriors in their first meeting and put themselves back in contention for an automatic finals berth in the 35 and Over Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 basketball tournament. It was the Titans first win in three games in the double round robin preliminary rounds, but another win could earn the team a mathematical chance to capture an automatic finals berth.

The juggernaut quartet of Jason Del Rosario, Jeorge Corotan, Jomar Ugarte and Luis Alvarez buckled down to work in the early goings in the first half to secure a 23-11 lead with just 3 minutes and 26 seconds remaining in the first half. The GK Warriors clearly missed the services of its big men Jim Reynolds, Tony Astoveza and Dennis Balagtas as the quartet penetrated the lanes time and time again for easy baskets. This time it was the Titans who had the big man in Jason Del Rosario who asserted himself in the boards and proved to be an intimidating force in defense. Del Rosario also had two three pointers in the first half. The Titans further increased their lead to 17 at the half, 35-18.

The Titans continued to dominate the Warriors in the second half. The score was not close but the intensity of the game was high throughout. The Warriors fought very hard but the Titans was simply the better team during the day. Sonny De La Torre, Doc Mel Madarang and Felix Vergara tried to rally the Warriors in order to reduce the Titans double digit lead. However, they were frustrated time and time again by Corotan, Del Rosario, Ugarte, and D Tapel. Del Rosario scored two more three pointers in the second half, and Corotan penetrated the lanes at times for easy layups.

“It was a great win, a badly needed win,” said a jubilant Ugarte of the Titans.

Box Scores:
63 - Delaware Titans: Jeorge Corotan, 18; Jason Del Rosario, 18; Jomar Ugarte, 14; D Tapel 7; Luis Alvarez, 6

34 - GK Warriors: Sonny De La Torre, 16; Felix Vergara, 7; Doc Mel Madarang, 5; Ed Padilla, 2; James Hoeffliger, 2; June Andres, 2

D3: Delaware Titans in a walkover win over Red Bulls (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The Delaware Titans scored its first win in the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 Basketball tournament with a walkover win over Red Bulls. The inclement weather brought havoc to Red Bulls bid for victory, as majority of its players were not able to make it in time for the start of its 10:30 AM game with the Titans. The Titans win further threw the race wide open for one of the four semifinal slots in the Open Division. All the teams are still in contention in the semi-finals.

The Delaware Titans and Red Bulls are now tied for 5th place in the Open Division with a 1-2 win-loss cad behind the fourth place No Way with a 1-1 win-loss record.

D3: Baltimore Dragons outlasts Dynamic, 60-52 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The Baltimore Dragons and Dynamic fought toe to toe in the entire game, but the Dragons proved steadier in the clutches towards the end of the game, to outlast Dynamic, 60-52 in Day 3 of the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 Basketball tournament. The win gave the Dragons a share of second place with WSA, with a 2-1 win-loss record. Dynamic absorbed its second loss in as many outings.

Dynamic gave the Dragons all they could handle in the first half which ended 34-32 in favor of the Dragons. It was the trio of RJ Buzon, Jackie Brosoto and Paco Estrada who combined for 21 points in the first half that helped the Dragons to a two point halftime edge. Dynamic had all the answers in the first half coming from Justin Mercado, Mark Pr’out, playing coach Mike Sanchez and Louis Hortaleza that kept the game close. Mercado and Pr’out had eight points apiece in the first half.

The second half saw both teams exchanging baskets and are in a virtual tie throughout the second half. However, in crucial possessions in the last 3 minutes of the game, Dynamic went cold. The Dragons took advantage of the cold shooting spell of Dynamic. Urged on by its coach, Ed Padilla and Led by Brosoto and unheralded Marti Olayvar, the Dragons were able to build a 54-49 lead with 51 seconds remaining. After several desperation attempts by Dynamic, the Dragons went on to pad the lead and won the game with the final score of 60-52.

“We tried, but our efforts were not enough. It was a good game, though,” said losing playing Coach Mike Sanchez.

Box Scores:
60 - Baltimore Dragons : Jackie Brosoto, 15; RJ Buzon, 12; Marti Olayvar, 12; Paco Estrada, 8; Ian Reyes, 7; Paul Angelo, 3; Anthony Curtiz, 3

52- Dynamic: Justin Mercado, 15; Mark Pr’Out, 10; Louis Hortaleza, 9; Mike Sanchez, 8; Reese Pr’Out, 7; Jeff Jirkovsky, 3

D3: GK Warriors tops WSA, 66-54 in Battle of Unbeaten Teams (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Playing like a well oiled machine, the GK Warriors used a well balanced attack to prevail over a fighting Wala Sa Ayos (WSA), 66-54, in the battle of unbeaten teams in Day 3 of the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 Basketball tournament. The Warriors grabs the lead in the Open Division with a 2-0 win-loss record. WSA dropped to a second place tie with Baltimore Dragons with a 2-1 win-loss record.

The Warriors playing coach Herb Monsalud effectively rotated his players to build an early 41-25 halftime lead in a fast paced game. Dustin Coloso and Santini Lancioni led the first half attack with 11 points each, followed by last year’s MVP Yogi Veranga with 6 points. The four three pointers by the GK Warriors in the first half, three of them by Lancioni and one by Coloso, proved to be the lethal weapon that led to a 16 point halftime lead. Meanwhile, WSA’s scoring trio of Jeff Verneza, Alex Santos and Paul Nicdao had only 17 points in the first half.

The Warriors then coasted to victory in the second half although WSA put up a much tougher fight. This time it was WSA who unloaded their three point shooting ammunitions hitting six three pointers in the second half (3 by Nicdao, 2 by Verneza, and 1 from Roque Guerzon). And with only 3 minutes and 24 seconds remaining the Warriors lead was reduced to 9 at 60-51. However, the Warriors kept their cool and put up a scintillating defense in the final minutes of the game to seal the win at 66-54. The deeper bench of the Warriors was also evident as Chris Clemente, and Ian Clemente helped in the scoring chores in the second half with 6 and 5 points apiece.

Box Scores:
66 – GK Warriors: Dustin Coloso, 16; Santini Lancioni, 11; Yogi Veranga, 10; Chris Clemente, 8; Ian Clemente, 6; Mario Lancioni, 6; Curtis Clemente, 4; Herb Monsalud, 2; Coco Clemente, 2; Ryan De Guzman,1

54 – WSA: Jeff Verneza, 15; Paul Nicdao, 13; Alex Santos, 10; Lester Dabu, 7; Roque Guerzon, 6; Michael Alegarbes, 3