D8: GK Warriors Three Peats, rips Dragons, 85-57 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The GK Warriors, with its strongest team yet in the history of the league, achieved a historic three peat by beating the Baltimore Dragons, 85-57 in the championship game of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD basketball tournament. Mario Lancioni who top scored with 30 points in the game was adjudged as the championship Most Valuable Player (MVP). The win preserved the unbeaten streak of the Warriors dating back to the 2008 PAAD Palaro.

The Warriors however were made to sweat in the first half as the Dragons gave them a scare in the early going. With RJ Buzon connecting on his rainbow shots, the Dragons led by as much as six points after 10 minutes of play in the first half. Coach Ed Padilla of the Dragons appeared to pull a rabbit out of his hat early on. However, the Warriors running game came into perfection as they erased the deficit and spurted into a 45-38 halftime lead. Mario Lancioni’s 17 points along with brother Santini Lancioni’s 9 points and Dustin Coloso’s 7 points in the first half provided to be decisive in overhauling the Dragons early advantage. It was the first time however that the Warriors were threatened by a team who could match their shooting prowess in the early going. Buzon had four triples for the Dragons in the first half.

In the second half however, playing Coach Herb Monsalud stressed defense to his Warrior’s team. And as the Warriors tightened their defense and prevented the three point shots of the Dragons, they slowly built a double digit lead. It was once again Mario Lancioni who provided the offensive spark with a barrage of three point shooting that doused the hopes of the Dragons. Mario’s three rainbow shots along with the superb play making of Leo Yanogacio, Santini Lancioni, Coloso and Yogi Veranga proved too much for the Dragons, as the Warriors built a 20 point cushion with about 5 minutes to go in the game. And with their cheering fans, the Warriors further padded the lead to 28 at the final buzzer, winning 85-57.

In the end, it was the depth of the Warriors lineup that carried them to victory as majority of their players are scoring threats. In the second half, the Dragons became weary and could not kept up with the fast paced game of the Warriors. And for Coach Monsalud, Team Manager Doc Mel Madarang and their players, a dynasty similar to the Celtics, Lakers and the Bulls in the NBA is possibly in the horizon.
Prior to the championship game, the Warriors clobbered Dynamics, 139-78, and the Dragons defeated No Way, 55-42 in their respective semifinal matches.

Box Scores:
85 – GK Warriors: Mario Lancioni, 30 ; Santini Lancioni, 15; Dustin Coloso; 12; Yogi Veranga, 8; Leo Yanogacio, 8; Curtis Clemente, 4; Ian Clemente, 3; Ryan De Guzman, 3; Herb Monsalud, 2

57 – Baltimore Dragons: RJ Buzon, 16; Frank Concepcion, 12; Sebastian Cabrera, 11; Souk Gumatay, 6; Julio Concepcion, 6; Anthony Curtiz, 4; Jake Cortez, 2

D7: Dynamic Wins by Default Over Red Bulls, Enters Semifinals (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Dynamic Physical Therapy won by default over Red Bulls in Day 7 of Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the third win by Dynamic against three losses. With the win, Dynamic entered the semifinals of the 2010 PAAD Palaro which will be played on August 14.

Red Bulls, a semifinalist last year, was a no show during the game and as a result, it placed last among the 7 teams in the Open Division with a 1-7 win-loss record. For Dynamic, this will be the second straight year that they will be playing in the semifinals.

D7: GK Warriors Sweeps Elimination Round, tops Baltimore, 81-57 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The GK Warriors, starring brothers Mario and Santini Lancioni who scored 41 points, disposed of the Baltimore Dragons, 81-57 to sweep the elimination round of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament with their sixth straight win in as many outings. The win gave the Warriors the number one seed in the four-team semifinals which be played on August 14. Despite the loss, the Dragons hanged on as the second ranked team in the elimination round, and also qualified for the semifinals with a 4-2 win-loss record.

The Warriors were off to a fast start, leading 19-11 in the early goings In the first half. And as the match progressed, the Lancioni brothers barrage of 3 point shot artilleries (4 by Mario and 3 by Santini) overwhelmed the Dragons as the Warriors roared to a 37-20 lead at halftime. The Dragons were led by RJ Buzon who had 10 points (including 2 triples) at halftime .

Earlier in the second half, the Dragons led by Souk Gumatay engineered a 6-0 run to reduce the lead by the Warriors to 11 at 37-26. However, Leo Yanogacio of the Warriors, who is known more for his inside plays, pushed the lead back of the Warriors to 14 with a three point shot , still with 19 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Warriors did not let up on the attack after that point. This time, Dennis Balagtas and Dustin Coloso joined the Lancioni brothers in the scoring chores to repulse any of the Dragons threat. For the Dragons, Gumatay and Buzon were helped by Paco Estrada, Frank Concepcion and Julio Concepcion.

The Warriors and the Dragons had 6 three point shots each in the second half. However, the Dragons were not able to put a clamp or a stop on the Warriors armory of excellent shooters, as virtually every player is a scoring threat. And with its much deeper lineup, the Warriors were able to push to lead to 24 at the end of the game, 81-57.

For Coach Herb Monsalud and his charges, the Warriors are looking invincible and a three peat championship is very well within reach. And a talk of the GK Warriors dynasty is in the offing. It will take a perfect game from the Dragons, No Way or Dynamic if those teams want to win against the Warriors. That perfect game is like a perfect 300 score in bowling – which is very rare but can be done.

Box Scores:

81 – GK Warriors: Mario Lancioni, 23; Santini Lancioni, 18; Dennis Balagtas, 10; Dustin Coloso, 8; Ian Clemente, 7; Leo Yanogacio, 5, Coco Clemente, 4; Curtis Clemente, 3; Ryan De Guzman, 2; Herb Monsalud, 1

57 – Baltimore: RJ Buzon, 16; Souk Gumatay, 12; Frank Concepcion, 12; Paco Estrada, 8; Julio Concepcion, 6; Jackie Brosoto, 3

D7: No Way Upsets WSA, 71-70 on Setters’ Free Throw (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

With the game tied and no time left on the clock, Dave Setters nailed his second free throw in front of his team’s jubilant cheering fans, to lift No Way to a pulsating 71-70 win over Wala Sa Ayos (WSA) in Day 7 of Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the third win in six games for No Way, but in the process it entered the semifinals as the third ranked team based on the quotient system. It was a heart breaking loss for WSA considered by many as a shoe in for the semi-finals.

The dramatic win was also a tribute to No Way Coach Paul Micarsos impressive coaching skills. Three teams were tied from third to fifth place, namely No Way, Dynamic and WSA. Under the quotient system, No Way and Dynamic took the third and fourth semifinal spots and WSA was relegated into fifth place ranking in the tournament.

In the unique quotient system based on the points among the three teams involved in the tie, No Way’s mission before the start of the game was not only to win but to score at least 65 points. Leading by only 2 points at the half at 23-21, Coach Micarsos made an adjustment in the second half by having the team switched from the zone defense to the man to man defense. No Way then allowed MVP candidate Paul Nicdao to either shoot a three or drive to the basket, thus making the game faster. Micarsos also instructed his players not to settle for jump shots but drive the ball to the basket. The calculated risk paid off as the teams virtually exchanged basket for basket making the game a high scoring affair.

As the two teams entered the one minute remaining mark in the game, No Way had already achieved the magic number of 65, and was leading 67-61. Coach Micarsos instructed his wards to control the ball in order to win the game. At this point Dave Setters and BJ Advento were leading the No Way assault. WSA however, led by Nicdao, Armando Concepcion and Michael Alegarbes dropped a 9-3 bomb to tie the score at 70 all time down to 8 seconds. WSA’s last shot was a three point shot by Alegarbes, his first basket for the game. This set the stage for Setters’ heroics. With time down to 2 seconds, Setters drove to the lane and was fouled on the act of shooting as the time expired. Setters missed the first free throw. However, he made the next pressure packed free throw as the No Way fans jumped for joy.

Box Scores:

71 - No Way: Dave Setters, 26: BJ Advento, 24; Rudy Mallari, 11; Alex Alday, 4; Kenneth Savella, 4; Arnold Dawinan, 2

70 – Paul Nicdao, 28; Jeff Verneza, 20; Armando Concepcion, 8; Kenny Santos, 7; Roque Guerzon, 4; Michael Alegarbes, 3

D6: Dynamic tops No Way, 65-60 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana / Photo by Ed Ortega

In one of the most intense battle in the tournament, RJ Valera delivered the knock-out punch through clutch three point shooting and free throws in the closing minutes of the games to help Dynamic to a 65-60 hard fought win over No Way (Maricas) in Day 6 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the second win for Dynamic in five outings to tie No Way for the fourth and last spot in the semifinals.

In a must win game to stay alive for the hunt for a semifinals seat, Dynamic proved steadier in the end game of a tightly contested game. The game was so intense that in the final three minutes of the game, double technical fouls were called on Justin Mercado of Dynamic and Dave Setters of No Way who both incurred hard fouls with each other. The two were both ejected by the referees. At that point, with Dynamic leading by only four at 50-46, Valera hit a triple to give Dynamic more breathing room at 53-46, time down to two and a half minute.

No Way kept fighting on as they cut the lead to three at 58-55 on a three point shot by BJ Advento with a minute remaining. However, two free throws by Valera and a basket by Mark Pr’Out put the lead back to seven for Dynamic at 62-55, with 40 seconds remaining. Advento hit another triple to cut the lead to 62-58 but with 25 seconds remaining. Then came Valera’s heroics who was intentionally fouled twice. Valera made three crucial free throws to seal Dynamic’s win at 65-58 with five seconds to go. No Way made the final basket of the game to make the final score 65-60.

In the first half, No Way was off to a good start with a 22-15 lead with their offense led by Advento and Dave Setters who combined for 15 points at the half. However, Valera, Mercado, Butch Sanchez and Ray Mann launched a 26-15 salvo to give the lead for Dynamic at 41-37. Advento, Setters and Alex Alday provided offense to No Way during that span. However, it was a lead which Dynamic did not relinquish until the end of the game.

Box Scores:
65- Dynamic: RJ Valera, 27; Butch Sanchez, 11; Justin Mercado,10; Ray Mann, 10; Mark Pr’Out, 7

60- No Way: BJ Advento, 26; Dave Setters, 15; Alex Alday, 10; El Persons, 5; Kenneth Savella, 2; Riki Makasakit; 2

D6: Baltimore Dragons beats WSA, 66-57 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana / Photo by Ed Ortega

After a tight first half, the Baltimore Dragons switched gear in the second half. RJ Buzon and Julio Concepcion converted eight three pointers to power Baltimore to a 66-57 victory over Wala Sa Ayos (WSA) in Day 6 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the fourth win for the Dragons in five games to grab solo second place in the tournament. WSA dropped to third place in the tournament.

With Paul Nicdao, Lester Dabu and Jeff Verneza at the helm of their fast paced game, WSA took an early 16-7 lead. However Concepcion and Buzon answered back with an 18-7 run to grab the lead 25-23 at halftime. The teams continued to trade baskets in the second half. With WSA leading by three, 41-38 midway in the second half, Concepcion hit a triple to tie the game at 41-all.

After another tie at 43-all, Buzon hit another rainbow shot to grab the lead for Baltimore at 46-43. The basket ignited a 20-14 run for the Dragons as Buzon and Concepcion kept hitting their three point shots which proved to be their major weapons in the game. Also, Frank Concepcion made his impact with 8 points in the second half for the Dragons. On the other hand, Nicdao and Dabu of WSA tried to keep pace with the Dragons. Nicdao had two three pointers of his own in the second half. However, when the smoke of the battle was cleared, the Dragons emerged with a 66-57 victory.

Playing coach Ed Padilla played for the Dragons who withstood the challenge of WSA. The Dragons hot shooting in the game, especially in the three point territory, won the game for them. They also proved that they have good stamina by running with the speedsters of WSA in the entire game.

Box Scores:
66 – Baltimore Dragons: Julio Concepcion, 26; RJ Buzon, 24; Frank Concepcion, 11; Sebastian Cabrera, 3; Souk Gumatay, 2;

57 – WSA: Paul Nicdao, 27; Lester Dabu, 16; Alex Santos, 5; Jeff Verneza, 5; Roque Guerzon, 2; Andre De Lara 2

D6: GK Warriors wins by default over Delaware Titans (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The GK Warriors had an easy day in the office as they won by default over the Delaware Titans in Day 6 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. The entire Titans team was a no show during the day. The Warriors did scrimmage games as their players played with one another in one of the basketball courts in the arena.

Per the Rules and Regulations of the PAAD 2010 Palaro, the official score will be 20-0 for the GK Warriors. It was the fifth straight win for the undefeated GK Warriors. The Titans bowed out from the 2010 PAAD Palaro with a 1-5 win loss record.

D5: No Way (Maricas) wins as Red Bulls Defaulted (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

No Way (Maricas) won over Red Bulls who defaulted their game in Day 5 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament , Red Bulls was not able to come up with five players at the start of the game. Per the Rules and Regulations of the PAAD 2010 Palaro, the official score will be 20-0 for No Way.

It was the second win against two losses for Coach Paul Micarsos and his No Way charges, as they maintained the fourth spot in the Team Standings and kept their semi-final hopes alive. Red Bulls formally bowed out of the semi-final contention by absorbing their fourth loss in five outings.

D5: GK Warriors pounds Dynamic, 96-40 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

The GK Warriors vaunted firepower proved too much against Dynamic, as they pounded the latter, 96-40 in Day 5 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the fourth straight win for the Warriors as they formally clinched the first semi-finals berth in the Division. Dynamic had only five players during the day who fought valiantly but simply those five players were not able to match the awesome firepower of the Warriors.

Mario Lancioni and Santini Lancioni led the charge of the Warriors brigade in the first half with 11 and 10 points. They were ably supported by Yogi Veranga, Ryan De Gracia, Ryan De Guzman and Coco Clemente. With those players hitting on all cylinders, the Warriors built a 44-20 halftime lead. RJ Valera tried to carry the fight for Dynamic with 14 points in the first half, including 4 three pointers, but received little support from his other team mates.

In the second half, MVP candidate Santini Lancioni stepped up his game, and along with Dustin Coloso, Veranga, Chris Clemente and Herb Monsalud continued to pad the Warriors lead. The Warriors did not let up as they erupted for 52 points in the second half against only 20 points by Dynamic, putting the final score at 96-40 win by the GK Warriors. Mark Pr’Out, Valera and Mike Sanchez did all they could but could not stop the Warriors avalanche of baskets.

Santini Lancioni top scored for the Warriors with 26 points, followed by his brother Mario Santini with 13 and last year’s MVP Veranga with 10 points. RJ Valera led Dyamic with 21 points followed by Mark Pr’Out with 12 points.
Dynamic suffered its third defeat in four outings. However, they are still in contention for a semi-finals berth if they win their last two preliminary round games.

Box Scores:
96 – GK Warriors: Santini Lancioni, 26; Mario Lancioni, 13; Yogi Veranga, 10; Ryan De Guzman, 9; Chris Clemente, 8; Herb Monsalud, 8; Dustin Coloso, 7; Ryan De Gracia, 5; Coco Clemente, 4; Sonny De La Torre, 4, Ian Clemente, 2

40 – Dynamic: RJ Valera, 21; Mark Pr’Out, 12; Mike Sanchez, 5; Francisco Palance, 2

D5: WSA routs Delaware Titans, 84-44 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Wala Sa Ayos (WSA) triumvirate of Paul Nicdao, Alex Santos and Jeff Verneza combined for 67 points to rout the depleted team of the Delaware Titans, 84-44 in Day 5 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was the third win for WSA to share second place with Baltimore Dragons with a 3-1 win loss record, and establish themselves as a contender for the championship crown.

Early in the first half, the trio along with Andre De Lara engineered a blistering attack to take an early 22-9 lead with 8 minutes to go in the first half. At the outset, the Titans clearly missed the services of its key players, team captain Steve Antonio, Jesse Fabian and JC Destreza as they could not keep up with WSA pace. WSA was in cruise control in the first half to build a commanding 35-17 halftime lead. Nicdao led the first half assault with 12 points including 3 three pointers. Santos, Verneza and De Lara also added one three pointers each. For the Titans, Dexter Quezon, Paul Valencia and Jeff Holcomb tried to parry the threats of WSA with little success.

In the second half, WSA continued its masterful performance against the Titans.
This time the WSA triumvirate was joined by Lester Dabu as they further padded the lead to 67-37 with 9 minutes remaining in the game. With only six men in its line-up for the day, the Titans led by Quezon, Valencia and Arnel Lalicon, did not provide much resistance in the second half. WSA further increased the lead to 84-44 until the final buzzer.

Nicdao led the WSA scorers with 26 points, followed by Santos with 23 points and Verneza with 18 points. For the Titans, Quezon was the high point man with 18 points, followed by Valencia with 13. With the loss, the Titans formally vowed out of the semi-finals contention by absorbing it fourth loss in five outings.

Box Scores:
84-WSA: Paul Nicdao, 26; Alex Santos, 23; Jeff Verneza, 18; Lester Dabu, 10; Andre De Lara, 7

44-Delaware Titans: Dexter Quezon, 18; Paul Valencia, 13; Arnel Lalicon, 6; Jeff Holcomb, 5; Jason Del Rosario , 2

D4: Dynamic edges Delaware Titans 55-53 in a Thriller (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Chris Rivera drove in for a layup with 6 seconds to go, and teammate Justin Mercado blocked the game tying jump shot of Steve Antonio as Dynamic edged the Delaware Titans 55-53 in a thrilling game in the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. It was a heart breaking loss for the Titans who led in majority of the game.

The Titans led by four to six points in the early goings on the strong inside plays of Jesse Fabian and Dexter Quezon. However, Mercado and Valera provided the much needed baskets through layups and jump shots to keep Dynamic dangerously closed to the Titans. With 6 minutes to go in the first half, the Titans were still enjoying a 24-20 lead. And after trading baskets for baskets with Dynamic, the Titans emerged with a 6 point lead at halftime 32-26. Leading the cause for the Titans are Fabian, Quezon and Antonio who had 8 points, 7 points and 4 points each in the first half, while Mercado and Valera had 8 points and 6 points apiece for Dynamic.

In the second half, Dynamic players Rivera, Louis Hortaleza and Mark Pr’Out ignited a 25-19 attack to tie the count at 51-51, with 2 minutes remaining in the game. Antonio led the Titans with eight points in that stretch to keep the score close. He was helped by Fabian, Paul Valencia and Quezon.

Antonio then slipped under the basket for a layup to grab the lead for the Titans, 53-51, with just a minute remaining. However, Rivera eluded his guard and drove in for the tying basket, 53-53, 45 seconds to go. The Titans then missed in the next possession. And with 6 seconds remaining, Rivera drove and scored on a layup to grab the lead for Dynamic, 55-53. In the ensuing play, Antonio took a jump shot that could have sent the game in overtime. However, Mercado blocked the shot to preserve the win for Dynamic.

It was the first win in three outings for Dynamic. However, the win vaulted Dynamic from 7th place to a 4th place tie with No Way in the team standings. They are also back in contention for a semi-finals berth. The Titans absorbed their third loss in four outings and they now only hold a slim mathematical chance to capture a semifinals berth.

Box Scores:
55 – Dynamic: Justin Mercado, 10; Chris Rivera, 10; Louis Hortaleza, 10, RJ Valera, 9, Mike Sanchez, 6; Mike Pr’Out. 6; Rey Mann, 4

53 – Delaware Titans: Steve Antonio, 14, Jesse Fabian, 13; Dexter Quezon, 9; Paul Valencia, 7; Arnel Lalicon,3; Jeff Holcomb, 3; Glen De Luna, 2; Jason Del Rosario, 2

D4: Baltimore Dragons Fantastic Five Blasted No Way, 71-53 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Perhaps inspired by the physical stamina, endurance and determination of Filipino world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, the Baltimore Dragons played with only five players in the entire game and gallantly fought their way to victory over No Way (Maricas) in Day 4 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. And the Baltimore Dragons had done it with its coach Ed Padilla playing and with no players fouling out during the entire game. It was the third win against one loss for the Dragons to assume solo second place in the Open Division elimination round.

In the first half, the Dragons and No Way fought evenly. With RJ Buzon, Paco Estrada, Jackie Brosoto and Sebastian Cabrera leading the offense, the Dragons were only up 19-18 with 7 minutes remaining at the half. BJ Advento was leading the No Way attack at that point. The first half ended with the Dragons leading by only five, 28-23. With ten players present however, No Way was in a good position to upset the Dragons, as one the of Dragon players, Paco Estrada already had 3 fouls.

Estrada, Cabrera, Brosoto and Buzon engineered an 18-9 run to increase the Dragon’s lead to 46-30 in the second half, with 14 minutes remaining in the game. The Dragons did it with a combination of three point shooting and lay ups, with point guard Jackie Brosoto directing plays. Estrada had 2 three pointers and Buzon had one three pointer in that decisive stretch. Cabrera also provided the much needed rebounds for the Dragons in that stretch. It was that spurt that all the Dragons need to break away from No Way.

The Dragons then coasted to victory by trading baskets with No Way and ensuring that they kept themselves out of foul trouble, which they did the rest of the game. Dave Setters, Advento and Bryan Stevenson tried to mount a rally for No Way. However, No Way could not make several defensive stops as the tireless Dragons answered their shots basket for basket until the final buzzer which ended 71-53.

Estrada, a reserve in last year’s Baltimore Dragons team which placed second to GK Warriors in last year’s tournament had shown tremendous improvement in his game from last year. He top scored for the Dragons with 20 points. Buzon and Cabrera had 17 points apiece. BJ Advento led No Way scorers with 15 points, followed by Dave Setters with 11 points.

Despite the loss, No Way hanged on to fourth place in the tournament in a tie with Dynamic with a 1-2 win-loss record.

Box Scores:
71 – Baltimore: Paco Estrada, 20; RJ Buzon, 17, Sebastian Cabrera, 17; Jackie Brosoto, 14; Ed Padilla, 3

53 – No Way: BJ Advento, 15, Dave Setters, 11, Bryan Stevenson, 8; Jones Salpan, 6; Alex Alday, 4; Rod Campalan, 4; El Persons 3; Kenneth Savella, 2

D4: Santini Lancioni 's 51 Points Powers GK over Red Bulls, 129-83 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

Erupting with the ferocity of the Philippines Mount Pinatubo, Santini Lancioni scored a majestic record breaking 51 points to power the GK Warriors to a 129-83 romp over Red Bulls in Day 4 of the Open Division of the 2010 PAAD Palaro basketball tournament. Lancioni finished the game with 14 three pointers in the most spectacular individual performance ever in the history of the PAAD Palaro league. It was the third win for the tournament leader Warriors - the only unbeaten team in the Open Division.

In the first half, it was clear that the Warriors wanted to deliver the knockout punch early in the game. The Warriors waxed hot early on in the three point range, converting twelve of them in the first half, seven by Santini Lancioni, two by Dustin Coloso and one each by Mario Lancioni (brother of Santini) and Dennis Balagtas. Red Bulls could only manage three rainbow shots, two by Raymond Latoga and one by Jake Cortez.

However, it was not only in the three point territory where the Warriors outgunned Red Bulls in the first half. The Warriors accurate mid range jump shots and layups netted them 36 points, ten more than Red Bulls. And with the firepower from Santini Lancioni, Mario Lancioni, Coloso, Balagatas and Ian Clemente, the Warriors opened up the game with a 34 point margin in the first half, 69-35. And at that point, it was all over but the shouting. At the end of the first half, Santini Lancioni already had 23 points and Mario Lancioni, 17 points. Meanwhile Latoga led the Red Bulls charge with 8 points and Frank Concepcion followed with 6 points.

In the second half, Santini Lancioni continued his three point shooting assault, converting seven more three pointers, to the delight of the fans. Latoga of the Red Bulls countered with five triples of his own in the second half. However, the Warriors have too many weapons at their arsenal. With Santini Lancioni waxing hot at all angles, Balagtas and Coco Clemente provided much needed support as the Warriors extended their lead to 109-61 with just 10 minutes remaining. Coach Karl Malicdem of Red Bulls prodded his players to fight on. Latoga, Frank Concepcion and Cortez responded and fought gamely for Red Bulls and tried to reduce the deficit, but to no avail. With both teams just trading baskets, the Warriors coasted to an easy victory with the final score at 129-83.

Coach Herb Monsalud and his charges need only one more win to secure a semi-finals berth. And at the rate GK Warriors are playing, they are on course to grab the top seed in the semi-finals.

Box Scores:
129- GK Warriors: Santini Lancioni, 51; Mario Lancioni, 22; Dennis Balagtas, 18; Dustin Coloso, 13; Coco Clemente, 9; Ian Clemente, 8; Ryan De Guzman, 4, Leo Yanogacio, 2; Herb Monsalud, 2

83 – Red Bulls: Raymond Latoga, 23; Frank Concepcion, 15; Jake Cortez, 12; Sam Borromeo, 10; Ben Wu, 6; Paul Tan, 6; Rysal Castro, 4; Jet Deleste, 4; Karl Malicdem, 3

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

D2: Red Bulls secures first win as Baltimore defaulted (Open Division)

by Jun Rana

Red Bulls won in the most easiest way in Day 2 of the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 basketball tournament as the Baltimore Dragons defaulted its game with a no show. It was the first win for the Red Bulls which improved to a 1-1 win loss record in the Division, same record of the Dragons who won during their opening day game. As per the rules and regulations of the tournament, the win by Red Bulls
over the Dragons will be officially 20-0.

“We do not want to win this way, but we will take it. Any win is vital in the preliminary round,” said a smiling Coach Karl Malicdem of Red Bulls.

“The Dragons opted to default the game as my players are competing in an invitational tournament in Washington DC, that day. We will definitely be there in our next game in PAAD Palaro on July 10 and in all our coming games,” said Coach Padilla of the Dragons.

D2: NoWay notches first win in Open Division, stops Titans 65-55 (Open Division)

By Jun Rana

No Way (Maricas) used balance scoring, three point shooting, and superior rebounding to bounce back from its opening day loss and topple the Delaware Titans, 65-55 in Day 2 of the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 basketball tournament.

Under the watchful eyes of Coach Paul Micarsos, NoWay took the initiative right from the start with a 22-12 onslaught led by Marlowe Ulit and Dave Setters during the first 16 minutes of the game. At that point, eight NoWay players have already scored for the team. With its fans cheering and encouraging them however, The Titans refused to yield as they cut the lead of NoWay, 26-18 at the half with barrage of baskets from Will imperial and Dexter Quezon. A big factor for NoWay in maintaining the lead at the half were the 4 three pointers contributed by Rudy Mallari, Ulit, El Persons and rookie Bryan Stevenson.

The Titans caught fire in the second half, as team captain Steve Antonio combined forces with Quezon and Imperial as the Titans slowly gained on NoWay’s Lead. However, BJ Advento of NoWay suddenly came alive and together with Persons, Setters and Stevenson parried the threats of the Titans. With 6 minutes remaining in the second half, NoWay’s lead was reduced to five points, 52-47. However, No Way found another stride and unleashed a 13-8 barrage with the help of Alex Alday, Advento and
Persons to ice the win for NoWay, 65-55. Advento scored all of his 14 points in the second half. Meanwhile, Antonio and Quezon of the Titans scored 10 points each in the second half.

NoWay was helped with their superior rebounding which limited the second chance points of the Titans. NoWay outrebounded the Titans with a 2 to 1 ratio. Also, NoWay has five three pointers in the game as compared to zero for the Delaware Titans. The effective distribution of playing time to majority of the players by Coach Micarsos enabled NoWay to finish strongly in the closing minutes of the game.

“This is a very good win for the team,” said No Way Coach Micarsos.

Box Scores:
65 - NoWay (Maricas): BJ Advento, 14; Dave Setters, 10; El Persons, 10; Bryan Stevenson, 9 ; Alex Alday, 8; Marlowe Ulit, 5; Rudy Mallari, 3; Arnold Dawinan, 2; Kenneth Savella, 2; Rod Campalan, 2

55 – Delaware Titans: Dexter Quezon, 15; Will Imperial, 14; Steve Antonio, 13; Paul Valencia, 4; Ian Orbeta, 3; Arnel Lalicon, 2; Jason Del Rosario, 2; Andrew Ronde, 2

D2: WSA Stuns Dynamic, 65-45 (Open Division)

by Jun Rana

Wala Sa Ayos (WSA) continued to impress basketball fans and aficionados via a stunning win over Dynamic Physical Therapy, 65-45 in Day 2 of the Open Division of the PAAD Palaro 2010 basketball tournament. Paul Nicdao, Jeff Verneza and Alex Santos combined for 52 points to powerWSA to a resounding win that put them at the top of the standings in the Open Division with a 2-0 win-loss record. Idle GKWarriors is second with a 1-0, win-loss record.

It was a tight first half as Dynamic took the early lead, 13-11, on baskets by RJ Valera, Rich Bandoy and Ray Mann. However, the scoring trio of Santos, Verneza, and Nicdao buckled down to work and ignited an 18-10 blast to grab the lead at halftime, 29-23. Each of the scoring trio had one three point shot in the first half.

In the second half,WSA’s running game and well executed plays took its toll on Dynamic which only showed up with six players and missed several key players including playing coach Mike Sanchez, Will Barnes, Justin Mercado and Joe Miranda.

Sensing that fatigue was setting in on Dynamic players, Nicdao, Verneza, Santos and Charles Peart delivered the knock-out punch with a 32-22 attack, to put the game away at 61-45 with 1 minute and 40 seconds remaining. The foursome delivered with a combination of layups and rainbow shooting (one each by Verneza and Peart). However, it was Nicdao’s 13 points and 5 assists that were crucial in that most decisive stretch. The only guy who kept answering the call for Dynamic in the second half was Mark Pr’Out who had 13 points in that half. Former PAAD Youth player Francisco Palanca played for Dynamic and had one three pointer in the second half.

“We run out of gas. We hope to have most of our players around on July 10,” said RJ Valera of Dynamic. Nicdao led all scorers with 19 points while Mark Pr’Out top scored for Dynamic with 16 points.

Box Scores:
65 - WSA: Paul Nicdao, 19; Jeff Verneza, 18; Alex Santos, 15; Charles Peart, 9; Andre De Lara, 4

45 – Dynamic:Mark Pr’Out, 16; Rich Bandoy, 8; Ray Mann, 8; RJ Valera, 7; Francisco Palanca, 3; Reese
Pr’Out, 3

D1: GK Warriors routs No Way Team, 85-58 (Open Division)

by Jun Rana / Photo by Poochie Roldan

Defending champion GK Warriors open its bid for a third straight championship in the Open Division by unloading 14 three pointers, 5 of them by Ryan De Gracia, to rout a fighting No Way (Maricas) Team, 85-58 in the opening day of the PAAD Palaro at the PAL Hockessin on June 12 (Philippine Independence Day). De Gracia finished with a game high 21 points.

It was Dustin Coloso, son of former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player Tim Coloso of the famous Toyota Corollas and Tamaraws who carried the fight n the first half with 12 points, including 2 three pointers. Coloso combined with Curtis Clemente who had 7 points in the first half, to put the game beyond recall 37-13, with 3 minutes remaining in the first half. Curtis Clemente, Mario Lancioni, Santini Lancioni, and Chris Clemente and Ryan De Guzman had one three pointer each in the first half, which ended 42-15 in GK’s favor.

The Warriors also displayed its tough defense which No Way had little success penetrating. Coach Paul Micarsos who was voted as the best coach of the 2009 season tried to rally his players to rise to the challenge. BJ Advento answered the call by finishing with a team high 7 points in the first half, including a triple. However, Advento did not get enough support from his teammates.

No Way made a game of it in the second half, but hardly made a dent in the lead of the Warriors who did not relax a bit in their opening triumph. It was in the second half when Ryan De Gracia put on a three point shooting clinic with five three pointers. No Way went down fighting however as Arnold Dawinan and Dave Setters discovered their shooting touch to combine for 21 points in the second half. In the end however, the superior line up of the GK Warriors proved too much for No Way Team to overcome.

“The Warriors played very hard and we got the win,” said Warrior team manager Doctor Mel Madarang. “The Warriors outplayed us and they are a much better team than last year. They have a very deep line-up,“ said Micarsos, playing coach of No Way Team.

For Coach Herb Monsalud and his charges, there is no better way to start than this resounding win over No Way, a giant first step for the Warriors to be crowned as the first three-peat champion of the PAAD Palaro League.

Box Scores:
85 - Warriors: Ryan De Gracia, 21; Dustin Coloso, 14; Curtis Clemente, 12; Dennis Balagtas, 7; Leo Yanogacio 6; Ryan De Guzman, 5; Mario Lancioni, 5; Santini Lancioni, 5; Chris Clemente, 5; Ian Clemente, 3; Sonny De la Torre, 2
58 - No Way (Maricas): Arnold Dawinan, 14; BJ Advento, 13; Dave Setters, 11; Kenneth Savella, 6; Alex Alday, 5; Jones Salpan, 4; Malowe Ulit,3; El Persons, 2