Fuel Save, Solane, V-Power Grind Out Wins
It was not an easy day for six teams in a thrilling triple-header in the 2016 Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC) Basketball League last November 10.
All matches held at Asia Pacific College in Makati was decided in 10 points or less but league-leading Fuel Save still managed to stay unscathed.
Fuel Save extended its unbeaten run to four games after slipping past SBO1, 58-54, in a game where neither side led by double digits.
With no team owning the momentum in the fourth quarter, Fuel Save held on to the win by holding SBO1 scoreless in the final minute.
JP Montoya sealed it for Fuel Save, scoring the team’s last 3 points in the last 14 seconds. He finished with 13 points on top of six rebounds.
Jimmy Castaneda led Fuel Save with 14 points including two triples. Carlo Montoya added 10.
Federico Amagna and LA Cabrestante had 12 markers apiece for SBO1, which reeled to its second defeat.
Solane, meanwhile, picked up its second straight victory after nipping CS2, 96-93, in overtime.
The game was likewise settled in the final minute, with Solane leaning on Ted Daniolco’s 3-point swing to nab the victory.
Daniolco finished with 22 points off the bench but George Operario and Gian Cruz led Solane in scoring with 24 each.
Cruz, who was also a monster off the glass with 24 boards, sent the game into overtime for Solane with a clutch basket with .7 ticks left in regulation.
It was a tough loss for CS2, which had seven-point lead midway the fourth quarter.
Angelo Ferrer was at the forefront of CS2’s attack with 26 points and 16 rebounds while Richard Saens added 21 points.
It wasn’t as close as the other games, but V-Power also had a hard time against SPEX en route to the 73-63 win.
V-Power, which also registered its second win, couldn’t pull away for good but still managed to get a safe distance down the stretch.
John Dizon and Ambo Demaisip found the mark with 20 and 18 points, respectively, for V-Power which outplayed SPEX downlow.
Only one player outside of SPEX’s starters contributed in points but Gary Rollan, Willy Giltendez, and Raphael Camo, took care of the scoring with 51 combined.
Rollan led all scorers with 24 points that went with nine rebounds and seven turnovers.