Today’s Games: Battle for 3rd Game 3: Luke (1-1) vs Mark (1-1) Championship Series Game 3: Matthew (1-1) vs John (1-1) Mark’s furious late rally in Game 3 secured 3rd place GBBC, May 10, 2022. Ponciano Tan made sure that Mark went home as victors tonight as he carried Mark offensively to secure the 3rd place of the 1st PBA basketball tournament. Game 1 was a straight up blowout. In game 2, we saw 2 veterans carry their team to victory. After the first two games of exhilarating individual performances, the final game for the battle for third continued the same theme. Two of the top players of the tournament went head to head, point per point as they look to salvage their team’s respective seasons with a 3rd place finish. Mark and Luke almost battled to a draw as no team controlled much of the game. Both teams struggled for a while to get their footing offensively. The first half saw a back and forth affair as the defense of both teams clicked to choke away some of the easy baskets for each team’s respective superstars. Players had to get creative to score every basket. The 1st half ended with Mark leading by a precarious 3 point lead, 35-32. Ponciano Tan led the team with 15 points while Mario Gayeta of Luke led all scorers with 16 points. Familiarity seems to kick in as playing the same team multiple times in the same season seems to immunize both teams on the other team’s game plan. The 2nd half continued the back and forth as almost every basket was answered on the very next play. The game was almost played into a stalemate even at the waning minutes. When the game plan is already thrown out the window, teams tend to go to their superstars to bring them home. As if on cue, MVP frontrunners Gayeta and Tan displayed a one on one battle reminiscent of Paul Pierce and Lebron James during the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers playoff series back in 2010. With the game tied and 3 minutes remaining to determine the winner, both players showed up and scored some more buckets. They went point for point to break the deadlock and gain control of the game. In the end, Tan won the player battle as well as the team tussle. Tan was just too much for Luke as he poured in a point shy of 50 to add another dazzling performance to his growing collection of offensive masterpieces. His performance tonight usurped his previous tournament high of 48 set last March 1, 2022 against Matthew. Gayeta of the red team went berserk for 42 points of his own. He was aided by spitfire guard Lloyd Duga-duga with 16 and 12 markers from Mariano Gayeta. Tan had more help as stalwarts Gerald Gabriel, Axcel Quisimundo and big man Ezekiel Aguinaldo all scored in double digits for the orange team. Mark finished in 3rd place while Luke settled for 4th. Both teams have a lot to be proud of as they showed their tough mettle and love for the game as they poured their hearts out on the court in every game. Kudos to Mark and Luke! Scores: Half scores: 35-32, 83-73 Mark 83 - 49 Ponciano Tan, 11 Gerald Gabriel, 11 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 10 Axcel Quisimundo, 2 Marlito Gotonero, 0 Jake Pagatpat Luke 73 - 42 Mario Gayeta, 16 Lloyd Duga-duga, 12 Mariano Gayeta, 3 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Ben Gayeta Matthew completes Cinderella run to grab inaugural PBA championship GBBC, May 10, 2022. It took another extension but Matthew completed their seething run to win the inaugural PBA championship. Matthew would not mind an overtime period or another heart stopping game. A slow start to the season watered down the expectations. A 2-4 win loss record finish to the regular season did not give them any advantage or momentum heading into the playoffs. But Matthew never doubted themselves and were keen to disregard the expectations along the way. Tonight was a culmination of weeks of hardships, retooling, disappointments and victories. They can now call themselves the first ever Pastor Boy Aguinaldo basketball champions. Game 3 started the same way the last game began. Matthew immediately imposed their will as they broke an early deadlock to establish an early lead that they would not surrender for almost the entire game. Both teams employed tough defense fitting of a championship series. However, Matthew found more openings on the offensive end as John failed to hold the defensive fort for the entirety of the possessions. The first half ended with Matthew leading by 8 points, 36-28. The Tank Vic Lardizabal led the scoring with 10 points. Forward Jeff Alquizar followed suit and scored 7 points as well. On the other hand, Raph Pacheco continued his hot scoring from the past few weeks with 10 points at the half. MVP frontrunner AC Gonzales struggled with the physical defense as he scored a measly 6 points. Fellow MVP frontrunner and top scorer Aaron Roblo of Matthew also continued to struggle as he finished the half with 7 points. John started to fix their porous defense after the 1st half horn sounded. Early in the half, they were able to string consecutive defensive stops coupled with offensive conversions to keep pace. They were able to cut the lead but Matthew stormed back to mount another double digit lead. Another flurry from John was successful this time as they were able to tie the game late in the 2nd half. The momentum shifted heavily to the black and gold team as Matthew lost Roblo in foul trouble late in the game. A couple of defensive stops and baskets from Pacheco and Gonzales gave John a 1 point lead. With less than a minute to go, A missed shot was rebounded by Pacheco and his put back gave John a 3 point lead. Lardizabal answered with 2 free throws while Gonzales split his charity stripes. Lardizabal was fouled on the ensuing play and calmly sent the game to overtime via 2 ice cold free throws. Matthew went straight to work to start the overtime period sensing their best chance to win the championship. Shifty guard Lunie Sebial led the charge as he constantly terrorized the defense with his daredevil drives. John tried another comeback bid but they were eventually outworked and outrebounded late in the game as Matthew eventually preserved the lead and won the game and the championship. Sebial led Matthew with 27 points through his drives and trips to the free throw line, producing his best game of the tournament. Lardizabal contributed 24 points for the eventual champions. Roblo and Alquizar added 14 and 12 points respectively. Pacheco led all scorers with 32 points, a career high, for the valiant effort of John. Gonzales dominated the 2nd half as he finished with 29 points for the runner ups. Congratulations to John for a steady season marked by consistent performances and excellent team work. The season belongs to Matthew as they easily shattered the norms of a regular basketball tournament. They never settled down even if they took the longest route. To upset a mighty Luke team while on a twice to beat disadvantage was already impressive. But to take an equally great John team to the distance of the finals and winning it all was the cherry on top of the come from behind story of this ever resilient green team. Congratulations, champs! Scores: Half scores: 36-28, 66-66, (OT) 81-76 Matthew 81 - 27 Lunie Sebial, 24 Vic Lardizabal, 14 Aaron Roblo, 12 Jeff Alquizar, 2 Edison Maminta, 2 Honorio Gayeta, 0 Kyle Lardizabal John 76 - 32 Raph Pacheco, 29 AC Gonzales, 5 Ryan Malupa, 4 Rey Malupa, 2 Orly Malupa, 2 Apollos Aguinaldo, 2 Jenzhel Sanchez, 0 Kevin Sanchez 1ST PBA SEASON IN REVIEW
Top Scorers of the Regular Season
Top Scorers of the Playoffs
Mythical Four Aaron Roblo (Matthew) Vic Lardizabal (Matthew) Ponciano Tan (Mark) Mario Gayeta (Luke) Defensive Player of the Year: Lloyd Duga-duga (Luke) Season MVP: AC Gonzales (John) Finals MVP: Lunie Sebial (Matthew) Congratulations to all players for a successful and entertaining 1st PBA basketball season. To God be the glory! /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo /published by: Em Gacad
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Today’s Games: Battle for 3rd Game 2: Luke (0-1) vs Mark (1-0) Championship Series Game 2: Matthew (0-1) vs John (1-0) Luke’s 1-2 punch torched Mark to force a rubber match for 3rd place GBBC, May 3, 2022. The combination of Mario Gayeta and Lloyd Duga-duga was unstoppable as they boasted their firepower in Game 2 to extend the Battle for 3rd series to a deciding game. Coming off a lopsided loss in Game 1, Luke regrouped and bounced back hard, flaunting their offensive might whilst stopping the dynamic offense of Mark. Giving up 97 points in Game 1, the All Star break seems to be the time off that Luke needed to refocus and claim their stakes in the playoffs series. Game 2 was a completely different story as they jumped to an early lead and never looked back. The red team did not waste time imposing their will in the game as they took advantage of the early absence of Mark’s big man Ezekiel Aguinaldo. They attacked the rim and efficiently scored. You can immediately sense the urgency from Luke as they are playing with only 5 players this game. Jumping to an early lead would certainly help them later in the game. The 1-2 punch of Luke led them in scoring with Mario Gayeta chipping in 20 and Lloyd Duga-duga added 11 in the first half. Ponciano Tan led Mark with 11 points aided by 10 markers from Gerald Gabriel to end the 1st half break. The offensive push of Luke continued in the 2nd half as Gayeta and newly minted 3 point king Duga-duga combined for 41 points in the 2nd half to put the game away. Mark struggled throughout the game to put on a scoring run as they were limited to only 62 points, their lowest output since the 1st round of the tournament. They were led by the 22 points of Tan who visibly doesn’t have the same rhythm from Game 1. He got some much needed scoring help from Gabriel with 13 and 12 points from guard Marlito Gotonero. Gayeta top scored for Luke with 38 points. Not lagging behind was Duga-duga as he contributed 34 points including 4 triples living up to the title he won a week ago. They are the first set of teammates in the tournament to score 30 points each in a game. Their efforts were handsomely rewarded as they dragged Luke into a Game 3 to determine the 3rd placer of the tournament. Scores: Half scores: 37-28, 81-62 Luke 81 - 38 Mario Gayeta, 34 Lloyd Duga-duga, 6 Mariano Gayeta, 3 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Ben Gayeta Mark 62 - 22 Ponciano Tan, 13 Gerald Gabriel, 12 Marlito Gotonero, 8 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 7 Axcel Quisimundo, 0 Jake Pagatpat Matthew flips the script on John to extend championship series to a winner-take-all
GBBC, May 3, 2022. Stingy defense and hustle plays were the keys to the game as Matthew turned the page against John to prevent a coronation and force a winner-take-all Game 3. Outplayed and bothered by John’s defense in Game 1, Matthew returned the favor in Game 2 as they gave the opposing team a dose of their own medicine. Picking up their revamped defense in the 2nd half of Game 1, Matthew employed their own physical defensive fort to establish their foothold from start to finish. This time it was John who tried to make a run to steal the game. The green team was able to fend off the flurry to hold onto a Game 2 win to force a rubber match next Tuesday. John started off hot with shifty guard Raphael Pacheco leading the way with his aggressive drives giving them an early 16-8 lead but Matthew quickly recovered and unleashed a 10-0 run to snatch the lead. The man to man defense by Matthew bothered the offensive setup of John but also paved the way for opportunities for Pacheco to drive the lane and get easy baskets. Matthew has answers on the other end however as their offensive guns clicked right on cue. The first half ended with Matthew on top by 13 points, 40-27. The green team rode the hot hands of the Tank Vic Lardizabal as he scored 16 points before the break. Forwards Jeff Alquizar and top scorer Aaron Roblo added 6 points each. The black and gold team was led by Pacheco’s 11 markers. Forward Ryan Malupa picked up the slack to score 8 points as the team was unable to find their main man AC Gonzales who only scored 2 points at the half. Matthew kept it rolling in the 2nd half as they protected their double digit lead for the most part. Their lead went as high as 17 points as they threatened to finish the game early. However, their tight defense attracted too many foul calls. Midway through the 2nd half, guard Lunie Sebial fouled out while guarding Pacheco. Not too long after, Lardizabal and Alquizar followed suit. Matthew was forced to play in unfamiliar territory as their top players were forced to watch from the bench. John took advantage of the situation as they chipped the lead slowly. 3 straight triples from Apollos Aguinaldo, Orly Malupa and Pacheco cut the lead to a manageable 5 points with less than 2 minutes remaining. In between these triples, they challenged Roblo’s free throw shooting as John looked to extend the game time a little further. After missing some of his early free throws, the top scorer of the tournament found his shooting touch as he completed his subsequent free throws. John was able to trim the lead to 2 points, 71-69. They had the chance to tie or win the game but an offensive miscue led to a turnover when Kyle Lardizabal blocked Ryan Malupa’s shot from behind with 3 seconds remaining. John was forced to foul Roblo who calmly swished both free throws for the final score of the game. Roblo finished with 28 points powered by his multiple free throws. Lardizabal finished with 24 before fouling out. John was paced by a career high 31 points from Pacheco. Gonzales managed to find an offensive rhythm late in the game to finish with 15 points. Matthew’s win prevented a championship coronation as they look to bookend their Cinderella run in Game 3. John looks to build on the momentum of their comeback bid as they attempt to finish the job in the winner-take-all game. Scores: Half scores: 40-27, 73-69 Matthew 73 - 28 Aaron Roblo, 24 Vic Lardizabal, 10 Lunie Sebial, 7 Jeff Alquizar, 2 Edison Maminta, 2 Honorio Gayeta, 0 Kyle Lardizabal John 69 - 31 Raph Pacheco, 15 AC Gonzales, 11 Ryan Malupa, 7 Orly Malupa, 3 Apollos Aguinaldo, 2 Rey Malupa, 0 Kevin Sanchez, 0 Jenzhel Sanchez Events Today: 3 Point Shootout All Star Game: Matthew-Mark vs Luke-John 3 Point Shootout Luke's Duga-duga bags 3 point king title Competitors: Kyle Lardizabal (Matthew) Lunie Sebial (Matthew) Jake Pagatpat (Mark) Gerald Gabriel (Mark) Gabriel Tanyag (Luke) Lloyd Duga-duga (Luke) Jenzhel Sanchez (John) Apollos Aguinaldo (John) April 26, 2022 at GBBC. Luke's Lloyd Duga-duga topped a field of 8 competitors as he was hailed the 3 point king in the first ever 3 point shootout event of the PBA tournament. Quick rule recap: 1 minute of shooting in a spot the player has chosen. The 1st round saw the competitors feel out their shooting touch and rhythm. Luke's Lloyd Duga-duga made his presence felt from the get go as he scored 10 points in the first round seconded by Mark's Gerald Gabriel with 7. 1 competitor from each team advanced to the 2nd round. John's Apollos Aguinaldo caught fire as he scored 14 points. Duga-duga was not fazed as he also scored the same amount of points. The second round lineup was completed by Matthew's Lunie Sebial and Mark's Gerald Gabriel. The team scores were tallied from the 1st and 2nd rounds and the top teams were determined to be Luke (72) and Mark (66). The final round were played by Duga-duga for the red team and Gabriel for the orange team. In the end, Duga-duga reigned supreme as he outshoot Gabriel, 10-5. It was fitting that the best 3 point shooter of the tournament, who also happens to be the 5th best scorer, takes home the crown. Duga-duga has been averaging around 2.5 threes made per game. The spitfire guard of Luke now cements his sharpshooting skills with the 3 point shootout championship. All Star Game Matthew-Mark routs Luke-John in the 1st PBA All Star Game Luke-John: Mario Gayeta (Luke) Lloyd Duga-duga (Luke) Romel Galara (Luke) Gabriel Tanyag (Luke) Raph Pacheco (John) Orly Malupa (John) Rey Malupa (John) AC Gonzales (John) Matthew-Mark: Vic Lardizabal (Matthew) Aaron Roblo (Matthew) Lunie Sebial (Matthew) Jeff Alquizar (Matthew) Ponciano Tan (Mark) Axcel Quisimundo (Mark) Marlito Gotonero (Mark) Ezekiel Aguinaldo (Mark) April 26, 2022 at GBBC. The hot start from Matthew-Mark proved to be insurmountable as they outplayed and out hustled Luke-John in the 1st All Star Game. Tearing a page straight from a Lebron James all star team, the combined team of Matthew and Mark punished the hapless team of Luke and John from the start as they took care of business early while showcasing their skills from all over the court. The green and orange team never gave a chance to the other team as they went from the get go, hitting the pedal to the metal. They jumped into an early lead powered by the tournament's top scorers, Ponciano Tan and Aaron Roblo's combined offensive wizardries. The height difference between both teams was evident from the start as they outrebounded the red and black team. The rebounding difference created multiple opportunities for the team to score. They tripled the score by halftime, 66-22. They were led by 16 points of Tan and 14 by Roblo. Lunie Sebial joined the double digit party as he added 10 points. Orly Malupa and Mario Gayeta both scored 6 points on the other end to lead their team. The second half had the same tone as Matthew-Mark continued the onslaught against the exasperated Luke-John team. The lead was cut to less than 40 points but the combined effort of 6 players from the green and orange team were enough to keep it to at least a 33 point lead. The pickup game ended in a 119-86 in favor of Matthew-Mark. The 119 points in this game is the first time the century mark was passed this tournament. The rout was led by Tan as he scored 32 points. Roblo seconded with 17. The Tank Lardizabal, big man Aguinaldo and guard Quisimundo, all scored 16 each to add to the rally. Sebial completes the 6 players in double digits with 15. On the other side, Gayeta scored 19 to pace his team. Galara contributed 17 powered by 3 triples. Gonzales rounded out the scoring with 11 points. Half scores: 66-22, 119-86 Scores: Matthew-Mark 119 - 32 Ponciano Tan, 17 Aaron Roblo, 16 Vic Lardizabal, 16 Axcel Quisimundo, 16 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 15 Lunie Sebial, 7 Marlito Gotonero, 0 Kyle Lardizabal, 0 Jeff Alquizar Luke-John 86 - 19 Mario Gayeta, 17 Romel Galara, 11 AC Gonzales, 9 Raph Pacheco, 8 Orly Malupa, 8 John Paul Caramoan, 6 Gabriel Tanyag, 6 Rey Malupa, 2 Lloyd Duga-duga Playoffs Continue
Mark would like to secure 3rd place as they battle Luke once again. John looks to finish the championship series against Matthew. Playoff series resume on May 3, 2022. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday at GBBC. Volleyball Finals Esther meets Ruth in the finals of the 1st volleyball tournament. The finals game would be played at an unannounced date. /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo /published by: Em Gacad Today’s Games: Battle for 3rd Game 1: Luke vs Mark Championship Series Game 1: Matthew vs John Mark stomps Luke to take Game 1 of Battle for 3rd series GBBC, April 19, 2022. The duo of Ponciano Tan and Axcel Quisimundo played efficient and unrelenting basketball for Mark to take Game 1 over Luke in the battle for 3rd series. Mark did not hold back once the game started. Ponciano Tan quickly went to work scoring 4 consecutive baskets as Mark raced to an unexpected 12-1 lead. Luke was reeling as they could not find a basket. They were forced to take an early timeout to regroup. Luke’s captain and superstar Mario Gayeta checked in off the bench to weather the storm. They were able to stop the drought as they scored a basket immediately after the timeout. However, their defense was not able to compensate for their renewed offense as they could not stop the frenetic pace that Mark was on. Guard Gerald Gabriel started the game for Mark and did not waste time putting points in the basket to keep the double digit lead for his team. Things did not get better for Luke when prolific guard Axcel Quisimundo came off the bench and went to work offensively to end the half. The lead ballooned to 21 as the first half ended with Mark leading 45-24. Mr. Consistent Tan scored 16 for Mark. Quisimundo added 12 markers for the orange team. Gabriel on the other hand contributed 8 early points to set the tone of the game. Gayeta scored 10 points off the bench as he tried to settle down his team offensively. Spitfire guard Duga-duga struggled with 3 fouls, only scoring 4 points in the first half. Guard Gabriel Tanyag added 5 for Luke. After the break, Quisimundo picked up where he left off. After scoring the last 8 points of the first half, he added 6 quick points to continue the avalanche of points for Mark. During that particular run, he displayed his supreme athleticism when he went from the right side of the rim to the left to score a 360 lay-in much to the delight of the crowd. Mark continued to score as they traded baskets with Luke to keep their 20 point lead heading into the final stretch. Luke played for some momentum for the next game, cutting the deficit to 17 at one point threatening a furious run to make things interesting. Gayeta carried the offensive load as he pushed hard to keep the game close. Luke’s Tanyag had his best game of the tournament as he picked up the slack and hit 5 threes in the game. The hot shooting of Luke actually kept them afloat during the 2nd half. Duga-duga joined in the fun and hit 3 three pointers of his own. However, the early onslaught of Mark proved to be tough to overcome as Luke fell short 97-79. Gayeta finished with 34 points for Luke. Tanyag added 19, his personal best. Duga-duga sizzled late to contribute 17 for the red team. Tan top scored Mark with 30 points. Quisimundo had a career high of 28 points for the orange team. Gotonero also had a great offensive outing with 15. Big man Ezekiel Aguinaldo and Gabriel added 10 to round out the 5 players in double digits for Mark. The 97 points that Mark scored tonight is a tournament high, thoroughly eclipsing the 82 points they scored last February 22, 2022 in an overtime win against John. Scores: Half scores: 45-24, 97-79 Mark 97 - 30 Ponciano Tan, 28 Axcel Quisimundo, 15 Marlito Gotonero, 10 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 10 Gerald Gabriel, 4 Jake Pagatpat Luke 79 - 34 Mario Gayeta, 19 Gabriel Tanyag, 17 Lloyd Duga-duga, 4 PJ Gayeta, 3 Rommel Galara, 2 Ben Gayeta John fends late Matthew rally, one win away from inaugural championship GBBC, April 19, 2022. John played excellent defense all game as they stopped a late Matthew rally coupled with their own key baskets down the stretch to take Game 1 of the PBA Finals. Now they are one win away from winning the inaugural championship of the PBA tournament. The start of the 1st PBA finals turned into a chess match. John and Matthew battled with wits more than the skills on the hard court as the prestigious inaugural title is on the line. Both teams are known for their offensive firepower but in Game 1 we saw a defensive slugfest between teams who made it difficult to score in bunches. John quickly employed a Finals-esque defense. They ravenously forced early turnovers and tough shots from Matthew. Their suffocating defense was also rewarded with easy shots on the other end as Matthew scrambles to set up their defense during the slow start. John created an early separation midway to the first half, leading 15-9. As Matthew was looking for answers, John took advantage as the sweet shooting of guard Apollos Aguinaldo reared its head off the bench. Aguinaldo uncorked two 3 pointers to increase the lead to 12, 21-9 in favor of John. Matthew settled for an exchange of baskets to end the first half down by 11, 13-24. Curiously, elimination round top scorers Aaron Roblo and AC Gonzales (30 PPG and 28.33 PPG respectively) were held to 4 and 3 points respectively after the first half. Roblo, however, visibly struggled on his shots while Gonzales on the other hand deferred to his teammates in scoring. Both top players also committed 3 fouls. Aguinaldo led John in scoring with 9 points powered by his three triples. He was seconded by 5 points each by guard Raph Pacheco and do-it-all-forward Orly Malupa. Picking up the slack for Matthew was The Tank Vic Lardizabal scoring 6 of his team’s 13 points. Guard Lunie Sebial added a basket while forward Jeff Alquizar added a point from the free throw line. The 2nd half started with the same tone. A suffocating defense from John continues the trend of forced turnovers and converting easy shots. At one point the lead ballooned to its highest at 16 points, 35-19. At this point, Matthew looked to regroup and make a run for it in the end game. Suddenly, they changed their strategy and employed their own man to man defense to prevent John’s easy baskets. The change in defense proved to be effective as they slowed down the pace of John’s offense. On the other end, they began to work inside to chip in to the lead. They forced some fouls and went to the free throw line more often. Soon they were able to cut into the lead and kept it in single digits going to the final stretch. Sebial led the charge and penetrated the basket for easy lay-ins and trips to the free throw line. They were also able to foul out Pacheco and Orly Malupa in the process. John mitigated the collapse as they relied heavily on Gonzales to execute key baskets down the stretch. They also got a boost from Ryan Malupa who played excellent defense down low, blocking shots to cut Matthew’s momentum. He played center most of the time filling in for the absence of rotation player Rey Malupa. Lardizabal hit key baskets to give Matthew a chance but he was answered basket per basket by Gonzales. Roblo fouled out soon and spelled the difference. John takes Game 1, 52-47. Lardizabal was steady all throughout and finished 19 for the green team. Sebial scored 12 in the second half to finish with 14 for the game. Roblo struggled all throughout as he finished with a measly 11 points, a far outcry from his usual 30 point explosions. Gonzales got 20 markers to anchor John closer to the championship. Aguinaldo added 12 while Orly Malupa also contributed 9. John looks to hoist the title in Game 2 for the inaugural title of the PBA tournament. Scores: Half scores: 24-13, 52-47 John 52 - 20 AC Gonzales, 12 Apollos Aguinaldo, 9 Orly Malupa, 6 Ryan Malupa, 5 Raph Pacheco, 0 Kevin Sanchez, 0 Jenzhel Sanchez Matthew 47 - 19 Vic Lardizabal, 14 Lunie Sebial, 11 Aaron Roblo, 2 Honorio Gayeta, 1 Jeff Alquizar, 0 Kyle Lardizabal, 0 Jun Adille All Star Festivities
We take a quick break as the All Star festivities begin. The 1st PBA All Star would feature the following events: 3 Point Shootout All Star Game The All Star game would feature the 4 best players from each team. And we got a good one as Matthew teams up with Mark to play the forged team of Luke and John. The All Star events would kick off on April 26, 2022 at GBBC. Game 1 results Mark looks to finish the series in Game 2 to take the bronze place. Luke will look to bounce back and force a game 3. Matthew looks to extend the championship series while John looks to cement their place in basketball history. Extend or End? Game 2 of both series will be played on May 3, 2022. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday at GBBC. /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo /published by: Em Gacad TEAM RACHEL STEPPED UP TO TAKE THEIR FIRST WIN On their third chance to capture victory, Team Rachel finally got to the winning column as they stepped up their game against Team Ruth. They indeed went big with their performance and renewed teamwork. After losing both games on day 1 of the tournament, Team Rachel dust off the early setback and gave their best performance as early as the first set. Grace Lambino (29) stepped up with 2 consecutive service aces and 2 points coming off attacks. Sandara Caramoan (15) added 2 consecutive service ace points. Richelle Maranan (02) stepped up with a service ace and a quick attack. Team captain Maria Fe Alquizar (28) contributed 1 service ace point. Rachel worked consistently to reach their winning goal winning the close 1st set. The second set played the same tune for Team Rachel. G. Lambino (29) started the set with 3 consecutive service aces to set the tone. The set became intense as both teams traded points.. M. Alquizar (28) gave her all to hit 2 consecutive service aces. Shimeah Aguinaldo (21) made her mark with 1 excellent service ace. R. Maranan (02) added another service ace point. Cheryl Duga-duga (08) spiced up the set with 1 service ace point early in the game. Team Ruth matched the gameplay of Team Rachel in a close set. However, Duga-duga (08) stepped-up later in the game, staking their claim of the set with 4 excellent service aces. “I’m proud of my teammates because it’s really the teamwork that led us to our win, everyone really stepped-up. We helped each other and did our best in the game. This is our COMEBACK!” Rachel's team captain, M. Alquizar (28) said. Scores: Rachel-Ruth: 25-20, 25-23 ESTHER CONQUERS RUTH IN DAY TWO’S 2ND GAME It took 3 sets but Team Esther took care of business as they beat the feisty Team Ruth in a thrilling match. The first set was initiated by Esther's star player Bea Bolongaita (05) with 3 consecutive service aces. Clineth Gayeta (18) answered with 2 consecutive service aces on the other and later added 1 service ace point. The set continued to be close as Esther’s B. Bolongaita (05) kept the pace with 1 fierce attack point and later added 3 excellent consecutive service aces. She also added 1 service ace after a point break. Team Ruth was not backing down as their star player, Melissa Gupit (15) had executed 5 excellent consecutive service aces and 1 attack point. Analyn Gayeta (26) added 1 excellent service ace point for Team Esther. Nica Salvaleon (06) contributed 1 service ace point to win the set for Team Ruth who looks to bounce back from their early loss. Ruth grabbed the first set against Esther, 25-23. “I think we still do have a lot of things to improve on and more gelling as a team, but I can say it has always been a good fight from both teams.” Team Captain P. Aguinaldo (21) of Ruth said. The 2nd set picked up where it left off from the previous set. B. Bolongaita (05) started the second set with a service ace. Team Ruth's star player, M. Gupit (15) cuts off the momentum with 1 service ace and later on added 2 excellent consecutive service aces. She kept it going on as she unleashed 4 excellent consecutive service aces and 2 points off vigorous attacks. Esther immediately answered as Gretchen Caramoan contributed 1 excellent service ace. Ericka Adille (22) also contributed 1 service ace for her team. Chloe Aguinaldo (03) added 3 excellent consecutive service aces halfway through the set to recapture her team’s momentum. Jessy Abad (10) boldly contributed 3 service aces early in the game. She added another 2 excellent service aces late in the game. Team Esther finished the second set strong to tie the game 1-1. Team Esther played a lot better in the 3rd set against Ruth. However, Team Ruth battled back but just fell short to the might of Team Esther. Ruth's team captain, Phoebe Aguinaldo (21) was the most consistent player as she tried to keep her team afloat throughout the set. Both teams started the set exchanging points. Ruth's C. Gayeta (18) gave hope to her team with 1 service ace but was quickly interrupted by Esther's teamwork. The momentum was clearly on Esther's side, punctuated by C. Aguinaldo's (03) quick attack. Esther finished off the set convincingly to win the game. Scores: Esther-Ruth: 23-25, 25-18,15-6 LJ GAYETA SETS THE RECORD FOR MATCH 3 OF DAY 2 After coming off their first win of the tournament, Rachel tried to make it 2 wins in a row but blocking their way is Esther as they look to pull off their own 2 consecutive wins. One player stood out and led her team to victory to close out Day 2 of our 1st volleyball tournament. Rachel’s S. Caramoan (15) started the set with 2 consecutive service ace points in which she added 1 service ace point later in the game. S. Aguinaldo (21) contributed 1 excellent service ace point. Esther’s Celina Canuelo (25) continued the good start of Rachel with 6 consecutive incredible service aces. Christina Caramoan (12) added 3 consecutive service aces of her own for Esther as well. Hotter than the summer, LJ Gayeta (06) stepped-up off the bench as she made remarkable plays with 7 consecutive exceptional service aces during her short playtime providing her team a big advantage. After a point break, R. Maranan (02) continued Rachel’s point streak with 4 consecutive service aces. LJ Gayeta (06) and R. Maranan (02) led Rachel nearer to victory. Finally, I. Aguinaldo (07) finished the set off with an astonishing service ace ending the set with a 17-25 score for Team Rachel. Rachel’s S. Aguinaldo (21) started the set with 1 outstanding service ace and added another 1 service ace point later in the game. Esther’s B. Bolongaita (05) stole the show with 2 consecutive service aces to halt Rachel’s momentum. The teams exchanged points thereon until Rachel’s S. Caramoan’s (15) service ace gave her team a little advantage. She added another service ace at the latter part of the game. Caramoan (07) added 1 excellent service ace point. Halfway through the set, Rachel’s star player R. Maranan (02) upped the ante of the game with 2 consecutive service aces and 1 quick attack. As the set came to a deadlock, Esther’s team captain S. San Jose (29) comes in to grace her team with 5 consecutive outstanding service aces which helped boost the confidence of her teammates. However, this did not discourage Rachel’s Duga-duga (08) as she scored 2 excellent service ace points for her team. However, S. San Jose (29) cuts off the momentum immediately as she answered with 1 excellent service ace. Esther remained consistent and kept the momentum on their side to win the second set with a close 27-25 score. In the 3rd set, Rachel showed their consistency through teamwork and positivity while Esther showcased their fearsome offense. After both teams scored a point, Rachel’s M. Alquizar (28) contributed 1 service ace to her team. Rachel’s R. Maranan (02) quickly added 2 excellent service aces. Rachel’s S. Caramoan (15) added 1 service ace point followed by G. Lambino’s 3 consecutive excellent service aces and 1 attack early in the game. S. San Jose (29) remained steadfast and scored 1 service ace point for Esther. J. Abad (10) added 3 consecutive service aces for her team. Both teams showed undeniably great teamwork and hard work to be worthy of winning the game. In the end game, Esther stepped up their game and successfully eked out the 3rd set, proving that the harder the trial is, the more gratifying the triumph becomes. Scores: Esther-Rachel: 17-25, 27-25, 16-14 Standings:
Ruth 2W 2L Esther 3W 1L Rachel 1W 3L /written by: Jemaimah Alquizar /photos by: Apollos Aguinaldo /published by: Em Gacad The 1st Women's Volleyball Tournament commences with a competitive spirit from the three teams as they make a thrilling history in GBBC Sports last April 02, 2022. Women’s Volleyball Tournament Line-up: Ruth: Sophie Aguinaldo (21), Annalyn Gayeta (26), Clineth Gayeta (18), Lyrine Madali (16), Melissa Gupit (15), Nica Salvaleon (06), Angeline Salvaleon (13), Josie Adille (19), Grace De Ocampo (28), Pearl Aguinaldo (20), Jemaimah Alquizar (97), Michaella Pacheco (04) Esther: Sabel San Jose (29), Jessy Abad (10), Christina Caramoan (12), Bianca Bolongaita (05), Althea Lardizabal (09), Riza Lardizabal (25), Erika Adille (22), Chloe Aguinaldo (03), Gretchen Caramoan (07), Elisha Maminta (08), Odessa Maminta (18), Celina Canuelo (25), Colleen De Ocampo (05) Rachel: Maria Fe Alquizar (28), Cheryl Duga-duga (08), Shimeah Aguinaldo (21), Richelle Maranan (02), Bea Aguinaldo (23), Sandara Caramoan (15), Grace Lambino (10), Heidi Menorca (14), Leah Joy Gayeta (06), Aliyah Aguinaldo (24), Izza Aguinaldo (07), Ann Landoy (01) RUTH CONQUERS ESTHER AS GAME ONE OF THE 1st GBBC WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS Esther won the 1st set against Team Ruth led by their team captain Sabel San Jose (29) with 1 service ace and 3 points coming off attacks, followed by Althea Lardizabal (9) with 1 service ace, and Erika Adille (22) with 2 excellent service aces as well. M. Gupit (15) from Team Ruth scored 5 excellent consecutive service aces in the middle of the game. However, Team Esther showed communication and teamwork in the first set that fueled their eager spirit to win. Hence, they were able to win the first set with a 22-25 score. In the 2nd and 3rd sets, Team Ruth refused to lose. Led by team captain Sophie Aguinaldo (21), Team Ruth was evidently encouraged with her presence inside the court. The team captain executed consistent receives, regaining the focus of her teammates. Sophie Aguinaldo (21) chalked in with 1 service ace while Analyn Gayeta (26) added 3 powered attacks. M. Gupit (15) helped her team with 3 consecutive service aces while N. Salvaleon (6) contributed 1 service ace and 1 attack. L. Madali (16) added 6 exceptional service aces and finished the set off with 1 attack. Team Ruth grabbed the second set with a score of 18-25. The 3rd set was more tense as both teams were exchanging points making the last set nail-biting and exciting. Everyone was at the edge of their seats as Team Ruth led in scoring while team Esther was playing catching up with each service they played. Bianca Bolongaita (05) from Team Esther added some spice to the match with 1 compelling attack. Team Ruth did not let it shake them however. Team Ruth finished off the game convincingly. A. Gayeta (26) contributed 1 service ace and 1 attack while L. Madali (16) added 1 service ace. N. Salvaleon (06) scored 1 service ace while C. Gayeta (18) grabbed the win with 1 service ace. Team Ruth dominated the third set, 11-15. Scores: Esther-Ruth: 22-25, 18-25, 11-15 ESTHER REDEEMED THEIR EARLY LOSS AND TOOK OVER THEIR SECOND GAME Team Esther quickly redeemed their game 1 loss in their 2nd game against Team Rachel. The team did not falter after losing to Team Ruth, showing their sportsmanship and composure as a team. Team captain S. San Jose (29) re-entered the court zestfully and cheered up the whole team, effectively leading team Esther to victory in her team's second game. Their teamwork paid off with some powerful offense. S. San Jose (29) did everything to keep the ball going along with her persistent teammates. The indomitable team captain did her best to carry the team with 2 service aces and 1 menacing attack. Jessy Abad (10) added 1 excellent quick service ace while B. Bolongaita (05) contributed 4 spectacular consecutive service aces that took the other team by surprise. Chloe Aguinaldo (03) scored 1 excellent service ace while Caramoan (07) added another service ace. Team Esther claimed the 1st set, 25-17. Again, team Esther dominated in set 2 with some firepower from their star players B. Bolongaita (5) and A. Lardizabal (9). They both knock off the ball to pave their way to victory. Determination and focus brought out the best from team Esther as they beat team Rachel. Shimeah Aguinaldo (21) heated up with 3 excellent consecutive service aces while Richelle Maranan (02) nearly regained her team's composure with 5 excellent consecutive service aces early in the game. A. Lardizabal (9) cut off the streak of R. Maranan (02) with her 3 exceptional consecutive service aces. J. Abad (10) started the game with the first service ace while acing another one along the way. C. Aguinaldo (03) also added 1 excellent service ace. B. Bolongaita (05) scored 3 consecutive service aces, gaining the adulation of the fans for their victory. The fighting spirit of team Esther brought them to victory with a final score of 25-10. Scores: Esther-Rachel: 25-17, 25-20 RUTH CONTINUES HOT STREAK IN THE OPENING OF 1st WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT Team Ruth aimed for their 2nd victory in as many games. They battle Ruth who was coming off a loss against Esther. Ruth was evidently dominant as they were blemishless on the first day of the tournament. Team Rachel took the first set. Team captain Maria Fe Alquizar (28) led the charge for her teammates as they returned to the court looking for their first win. They look unfazed even as Team Ruth’s Sophie Aguinaldo (21) started the set with 2 excellent consecutive service aces followed by another 2 consecutive service aces after a point break. Hydie Menorca (14) blissfully contributed 3 excellent service aces but was cut off by 2 excellent consecutive service aces from L. Madali (16) of Ruth. Team Rachel was relentless as Bea Aguinaldo (23) boldly answered with 4 excellent service aces only to be cut off again by Jemaimah Alquizar (97) from Team Ruth with her own 3 excellent consecutive service aces. Team Rachel went unfazed as I. Aguinaldo (07) made a valiant move leading them closer to winning the first set with 1 service ace and adding 3 excellent consecutive service aces later on. The first set was finished by R. Maranan (02) with 2 frightening attacks. Team Rachel grabbed the victory for the first set of game 3 with a score of 25-21. After losing the first set, Team Ruth was close to frustration. Having the strong faith in God, they pressed on and played harder in the 2nd set against Team Rachel. Team Ruth had a fresh start in set 2 as A. Salvaleon (13) scored on 4 excellent consecutive service aces after Team Rachel’s R. Maranan (02) first service ace. Inspired by their strong early performance, Ruth regained their composure as star player L. Madali (16) executed 6 excellent consecutive service aces. M. Gupit (15) added another 2 consecutive service aces. N. Salvaleon (6) finished the set with 5 excellent consecutive service aces. Team Ruth wins the 2nd set of game 3 with a surprising lopsided performance, 25-4. Set 3 was a rollercoaster of emotions. It started off smoothly as the short set was kicked off by I. Aguinaldo (07) from team Rachel with 1 service ace. A. Salvaleon (13) answered with 2 consecutive service aces of her own. The back and forth affair continued as Rachel’s Shimeah Aguinaldo (21) back stopped with 2 consecutive service aces tying the scores at 8 apiece heading to the final stretch. M. Gupit (15) broke the deadlock with 1 excellent service ace. The set was played with burning determination and goal to win. In the end, Team Ruth seized the moment to win the 3rd set 15-12, to move to 2-0 in the standings. Scores: Ruth-Rachel: 21-25, 25-4, 15-12 Standings: RUTH 2W 0L ESTHER 1W 1L RACHEL 0W 2L Special thanks to Sis Cheryl Duga-duga for allowing the newsletter team to use her photos of the game. /written by: Jemaimah Alquizar /published by: Em Gacad Today’s Game: Luke (1) vs Matthew (4) Matthew completes upset, advances to the 1st PBA Finals GBBC, March 29, 2022. A much needed lift courtesy of guard Lunie Sebial pushes Matthew to the 1st PBA finals as their incredible run continues, ousting Luke and overcoming their twice to beat disadvantage. Matthew had won their last 2 encounters against Luke. The red team continues to search for answers to the puzzle that is this Matthew squad. Now finally the table has been set with two veteran teams fighting for a chance to compete for the championship. Amidst the balloon wielding fans clad with stainless steel of the green team, Matthew looks to complete their comeback. Luke would like to push a different story as they try once again to punch their ticket to the finals while cheered by their own raucous crowd. Matthew immediately showed that they are men on a mission. They jumped to an early 10-1 lead as Luke was reeling offensively. The Matthew defense tightened very early as they suffocated the offensive plays of Luke forcing them to take tough shots. Fortunately for the red team, spitfire guard Lloyd Duga-duga went to work early as he scored 2 consecutive three point shots to trim the lead, 12-8. Matthew continued to be steady as they found other ways to score to keep Luke at a distance much to the delight of their roaring fans. Luke superstar Mario Gayeta came to life as he always did. He went on an offensive tear as he anchored his team closer. He hit consecutive mid range jumpers to tie the game at the halfway point of the first half bringing us our first deadlock. From that point on, Luke coasted offensively to take the lead while their own crowd displayed the same intensity. Luke’s defense was also instrumental as they limited top scorer Aaron Roblo to 6 points in the first half with quick double teams and hard box outs. To counter this development, Matthew turned to their shifty guard Lunie Sebial who turned out to be a big spark off the bench. He managed to penetrate the defense and score on layups with one particular circus layup producing cheers and awes from both sides of the aisle. Luke finished the first half with a 28-22 lead, led by the 13 points of Gayeta. Duga-duga added 11 for his team. Sebial top scored Matthew with 8 points. The Tank Vic Lardizabal and forward Jeff Alquizar each contributed 4 points for the green team. The second half began with another flurry from Matthew. They quickly made sure to close the gap as Roblo battled the tough Luke defense to score on quick stabs in the basket. Not long after, we arrived at the 2nd deadlock of the game at 34 apiece. Luke kept pace with their efficient offense spearheaded by Gayeta and Duga-duga. A nip and tuck game continued in the following minutes as both teams traded baskets. It was evident how much the chance to compete in the championship means for both teams. Luke found some scoring outside of their duo as versatile forward Bay Gayeta added some timely baskets inside to keep them in the game. As the defense of Luke focused on the other team’s main guns, the offense of Matthew shifted to Sebial and Alquizar. Sebial continued his torrid offense as his drives were more crisp and controlled. He found himself scoring at every turn and going to the line as Luke was forced to foul him. With Matthew holding a 2 point lead with less than 7 minutes remaining, a big 3 point shot was banked in by guard Honorio Gayeta from the left wing to increase their separation by 5 points. This was immediately followed by an inside basket from Roblo. The 7 point lead by Matthew was a luxury at this point of the game. Luke kept on battling back but offensive inconsistencies and miscommunication on defense prevented them from staging a run to flip the momentum. Two notable defensive miscues featured two wide open layups from Sebial and Alquizar from the right wing. Luke finally settled to foul Sebial and test his free throw shooting. Sebial had back to back empty trips on the line but the red team failed to take advantage on the other end. Sebial punctuated Matthew's win with his signature leg sweep and a buzzer beater 3 point shot to finish with a game high 26 points. This was the most points he scored since his 22 from their very first game last February 5 against Luke. Roblo played second fiddle as he contributed 24 points. Roblo and Sebial both scored 18 points in the 2nd half to combine for 36 of their team’s 47 second half points. The Tank and Alquizar added 7 each to amplify Matthew's solid win. Luke was top-scored by Gayeta with 24. Duga-duga chipped in 23 for the red team. Bay Gayeta lifted some offensive weight and contributed 13 points. Luke can keep their head high as they had a terrific season garnering first place in the standings while boasting an MVP worthy season from their captain Mario Gayeta. They have a chance to place 3rd as they battle Mark in a best of 3 series. On the other hand, the saga continues for Matthew as they find themselves opposite John for the prestigious title of inaugural champions of the Pastor Boy Aguinaldo basketball tournament. Scores: Half scores: 22-28, 69-60 Matthew 69 - 26 Lunie Sebial, 24 Aaron Roblo, 7 Vic Lardizabal, 7 Jeff Alquizar, 3 Honorio Gayeta, 2 Kyle Lardizabal, 0 Jun Adille Luke 60 - 24 Mario Gayeta, 23 Lloyd Duga-duga, 13 Bay Gayeta, 0 John Paul Caramoan, 0 Romel Galara, 0 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Mariano Gayeta, 0 PJ Gayeta, 0 Ben Gayeta All Star Festivities
We take a quick break as the All Star festivities begin. The 1st PBA All Star would feature the following events: 3 Point Shootout All Star Game The All Star game would feature the 4 best players from each team. And we got a good one as Matthew teams up with Mark to play the forged team of Luke and John. The All Star events would kick off on April 12, 2022 at GBBC. Rubber match game implications Matthew continues their incredible run with a date with John in the 1st PBA Finals in a best of three series. Luke and Mark will battle for 3rd place in another best of three series. Both playoff matchups will start on a soon to be announced date at GBBC. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday. Make Way For Our Volleybelles The ladies are now ready to show their heart and hustle. The competition is sure to heat up as quickly as the summer season. Strong serves, great receptions and unwavering spirits are what we should expect and more as our GBBC ladies battle it out to attain volleyball supremacy. The 1st GBBC women's volleyball tournament is coming our way this Saturday, April 2, 2022 at GBBC. Opening ceremony starts at 4:30 PM. Who's got game? /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo Games Today: Luke (1*) vs Matthew (4) John (2*) vs Mark (3) *Twice to beat advantage Matthew forces rubber match against Luke GBBC, March 22, 2022. Matthew’s quest for greatness was evident as their balanced effort forced a do-or-die game for a spot in the 1st PBA finals. Luke was in a roll heading into the playoffs. After clinching the first seed of the tournament with back to back wins, their reward was a twice to beat advantage and a semifinal matchup against a hungry Matthew squad. Matthew was revitalized with the addition of high scoring forward Aaron Roblo during the first round. While they never found consistency in the entirety of the tournament, winning their 2nd round matchup against Luke gives them the confidence heading into a win or go home situation. The veteran teams started the game with a traditional back and forth affair. As both teams were trying to establish their footing in the game, Matthew was saddled as the tournament’s leading scorer, Roblo, was not getting his usual touches. Luke wasted no time employing playoff defense limiting the easy touches he usually gets. Both teams went immediately with their big guns to provide scoring. Matthew held a small lead, 25-21, heading into the 2nd half. Only 5 players from both teams scored in the half. Luke’s captain and superstar Mario Gayeta picked up where he left off last game, scoring 17 of his team’s 21. Guard Lloyd Duga-duga and center John Paul Caramoan contributed 1 basket each for the red team. On the other side, Roblo scored 16 which was subpar in his own standard. The Tank Vic Lardizabal scores 9 to back up the green team. The second half carried the same theme as Matthew kept the precarious lead while Luke stayed on the hunt to steal the game. Both offenses struggled uncharacteristically. Tough defense reigned as both teams showed physicality in an ode to the playoff atmosphere. However, the 2nd half of this game was all about the role players and who can provide enough supplementary punch to aid their superstars. Matthew was able to rely on their role players to claim the victory, 60-53, forcing another game to claim a finals ticket. Luke struggled as no one outside of their 1-2 punch and big man scored altogether. Gayeta was steady as expected, scoring 18 in the second half to finish with 35 big points for his team. Spitfire guard Duga-duga struggled to find his rhythm as he was only able to chuck up two 3-pointers in the game en route to 10 points. Caramoan added 8 points. We can expect Luke to regroup and bounce back on the do-or-die game next week. Matthew’s 1-2 punch of Roblo and Lardizabal scored only 13 points in the 2nd half. Roblo finished with a measly 25 points which was a little off than his average of 34 PPG for the tournament. The Tank finished with 13 points for the green team. However, the role players came up big as 3 players scored a combined 22 points in the 2nd half to fend off Luke’s threat of a comeback. Honorio Gayeta scored 10 points while Lunie Sebial and forward Jeff Alquizar contributed 8 and 4 respectively. The win by Matthew sets up a winner take all next game for a chance to compete for the championship of the 1st PBA tournament. Scores: 25-21, 60-53 Matthew 60 - 25 Aaron Roblo, 13 Vic Lardizabal, 10 Honorio Gayeta, 8 Lunie Sebial, 4 Jeff Alquizar, 0 Kyle Lardizabal, 0 Jun Adille Luke 53 - 35 Mario Gayeta, 10 Lloyd Duga-duga, 8 John Paul Caramoan, 0 Bay Gayeta, 0 Romel Galara, 0 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Mariano Gayeta, 0 PJ Gayeta, 0 Ben Gayeta John punches first ticket to the finals through Apollos Aguinaldo’s game winning 3-pointer GBBC, March 22, 2022. A breakout game from sweet shooting guard Apollos Aguinaldo proves to be the difference as his booming triple with 9 seconds remaining sends John to the 1st PBA finals. John had a roller coaster season. After winning their first 3 games, they fell off quickly and lost their next 3 games to finish the season in 2nd place with a twice to beat advantage. Mark had a promising season but was marred by inability to strongly finish close games. Both young teams ended up with a 3-3 win-loss record to close the season. They are evenly matched as exemplified by their 2nd round matchup, a game of the year candidate, decided by only a single point via 2 heart wrenching free throws by Quisimundo. Will we see the same intensity in this semifinal matchup? John had the pedal to the metal to start the game jumping to an early lead. Mark was immediately thrown in an unfamiliar situation as they are the team who typically start the games strong. An early 3 point lead from John was quickly erased as Mr. Consistent Ponciano Tan went to work early. The first half was as close as it gets as John is led by early aggressive drives by shifty guard Raph Pacheco and inside stabs by superstar AC Gonzales. Late in the half, Mark took the driver seat with their suffocating defense and efficient offense. They closed the first half on a big run to carry a 34-27 lead. Tan and Gonzales both scored 15 points for their respective teams. Pacheco seconded Gonzales with 8 for John. Gotonero also started off strong with 8 points for the orange team. Center Ezekiel Aguinaldo added 4 points along with a multitude of rebounds as he took advantage of the absence of John’s big man Rey Malupa who was a late scratch in the game. The second half told a different story as John quickly turned the tide against Mark. They began to amp up their defense, closing the driving lanes and forcing tougher shots for Mark's offensive guns. They took advantage of their quickness as they out hustled Mark in stretches of the game. Newly wed forward Orly Malupa began to be aggressive as he attacked the defense inside while nursing a finger and left hand injury. Pacheco was steady as his shots were also falling in. After a scoreless 1st half, shooting guard Apollos Aguinaldo came alive as he provided the floor spacing John desperately needed. He scored on 2 quick baskets from the right wing that proved to be the confidence builder for the streaky shooter. After consecutive misses from Mark, John quickly found an open Aguinaldo who took advantage and hit 2 back breaking 3 pointers from the top of the key. The offensive outburst ballooned the lead to 10 points for John. A technical difficulty stopped the action momentarily with John leading by 7 points, 54-47, with 5 minutes remaining in the game. The time off was instrumental for both teams as they gained some rest for an exciting end game. Off the tme out, Tan quickly went to work and scored on consecutive points. This unleashed a huge run from Mark threatening to steal the game away. However during this run, big man Aguinaldo fouled out for Mark after a pocket pass by Ryan Malupa to Orly Malupa in the left wing resulted in a foul call. With momentum still on their side, Tan teamed up with Gotonero and Quisimundo to forge one last push. The huge run was capped off by a huge 3 pointer by Tan from the right corner, catching the final foul of Pacheco in the process. Tan missed the free throw however but tied the game at 60 a piece with less than 2 minutes remaining. John went to their superstar as Gonzales scored important baskets down the stretch. Tan was too much to handle though as he answered with his own baskets retaking the lead for Mark, 66-64, with less than 20 seconds remaining. Against a dwindling shot clock and a possible loss of their twice to beat advantage, John went with the hot shooting hand of Aguinaldo who generated a step back at the top of the key to score a huge 3 pointer with 9 seconds remaining. John retook the lead once again, 67-66. Off a blocked shot and 4 seconds of game clock to work with, Mark went to Gotonero as he drove into 2 defenders on the left wing and fished a foul with 0.8 seconds remaining. He has 2 free throws to win the game. Sounds like a deja vu from their February 22 encounter but this time with different actors. Gotonero missed the first free throw much to the delight of John. With a chance to still send the game to overtime, he muffed the second pressure-packed free throw as well, effectively sending John to the first finals seat of the 1st PBA finals. Tan finished with 29 points off a valiant effort for Mark. Gotonero came up big with 15 points to aid Mark’s cause. Big man Aguinaldo dominated the painted area with 12 points. Gonzales finished with a subpar 21 points but gained a lot of help from his teammates. Pacheco added 16 before fouling out. Forward Orly Malupa scored 13 and was huge in the 2nd half. The night belongs to shooting guard Apollos Aguinaldo who had a breakout game of 13 points with three 3 pointers. This is the first time he scored in double digits since the very first game of the season but it couldn’t come up in a better time, nonetheless. Mark would still have a chance to place 3rd as they await the result of the other series. John will now be waiting for their opponent in the finals. Scores: 27-34, 67-66 John 67 - 21 AC Gonzales, 16 Raph Pacheco, 13 Orly Malupa, 13 Apollos Aguinaldo, 4 Ryan Malupa, 0 Kevin Sanchez, 0 Jenzhel Sanchez, 0 Jolo Aguinaldo Mark 66 - 29 Ponciano Tan, 15 Marlito Gotonero, 12 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 8 Axcel Quisimundo, 2 Gerald Gabriel, 0 Joey Aguinaldo, 0 Jake Pagatpat Playoffs Day 1 fallout
Luke will need to shake off their loss as they battle Matthew one more time for a chance to reach the finals. Mark prepares for the battle for 3rd playoff series against the team on the losing end of next week’s game. John is now waiting in the finals. The next game will be played on March 29, 2022 at GBBC. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday. /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo Final Standings Team W L Quotient Margins Luke 4 2 +5 +11, -13, +4, -4, +6, +1 John 3 3 +17 +12, +13, +2, -1, -6, -3 Mark 3 3 +7 -12, +12, -4, +1, +11, -1 Matthew 2 4 -29 -11, -12, -2, +4, -11, +3 Matthew avoids major collapse as they held off furious John rally GBBC, March 8, 2022. Matthew controlled the majority of the game, holding on to victory with some key stops to prevent a major comeback by John. A win by John would give them the top spot. Ironically, they would face Matthew again in the playoffs if that happens. Matthew looks to spoil the party as they seek to drop John to 2nd place and await the winner of the next game. A blowout win by Matthew, however, can drop John down to 3rd place as per the quotient system. Stakes were high and this game would eventually set the tone for the rest of the night. The start of the first half saw both teams trying to get on rhythm as they are consciously setting their offensive plays and defensive strategies. It was a back and forth affair as both teams struggled at times to score a basket. Aaron Roblo dominated inside as he punished John with layups and bank-ins. It did not help the black and gold team as big man Rey Malupa was saddled by foul trouble, picking up an early 3rd foul. With an apparent downsize from the opposing team, Roblo continued scoring as Matthew raced to a 32-24 lead late in the half. Offense was sporadic for John as their main men AC Gonzales and Raph Pacheco missed some inside shots they usually finish. Roblo then went ballistic as they unleashed a 17-3 run to finish the first half with a 22 point advantage, 49-27. Roblo, in an other-worldly performance, outscored the entire John team as he scored 32 by himself. He was seconded by The Tank Vic Lardizabal with 8. Do-it-all-forward Orly Malupa paced John with 7 points. The green team picked up where they left off to start the 2nd half. They continued to fend off a John rally as they pad the lead to its highest at 27 points. They wisely milked the clock to set their plays whilst effectively limiting the momentum that the other team could gather. Matthew was protecting a large lead, 60-38, looking to coast to an easy win. Now on the brink of dropping to 3rd place, John played for pride as they plotted a major comeback plan anchored by their superstar Gonzales. John began to tighten their defense as they started to harass the ball handler of Matthew. The strategy was proven to be effective as they forced a lot of turnovers and got easy baskets on the other end at a furious pace. Gonzales started to carve his path down low as he scored some inside baskets coupled with and-one opportunities. Matthew began to unravel as they struggled to put the ball in the basket for the entirety of the game. It did not help their cause as their main ball handler, Honorio Gayeta, fouled out during the rally. An and-one opportunity by Gonzales seemed to spell more doom to Matthew as the ensuing action injured their main man Aaron Roblo. He went out of the game with an apparent right ankle injury, unable to return. John further trimmed the lead to 2, 66-64, off a clutch basket by shooting guard Apollos Aguinaldo who replaced starting guard Raph Pacheco who fouled out of the game. A miscue from John led to Lardizabal being fouled. The Tank split from the charity stripe to give Matthew a precarious 3 point lead with less than 3 seconds to go. A desperation 3 point attempt by Gonzales to tie the game rimmed out as time expired. Roblo continued his onslaught with 45 points for Matthew before his unfortunate injury. He has 2 weeks to recover before the playoffs start. The Tank added 13 while Kyle Lardizabal contributed 5 off the bench. After a slow start, Gonzales finished strong with 31 for John as their comeback fell short. Orly Malupa added 9 and Raph Pacheco chalked 8 for John. The loss for the black and gold team drops them to their 3rd straight loss of the tournament. Their comeback effort however incorporated by their higher overall quotient secured them the 2nd spot and a twice to beat advantage in the playoffs. Scores: 49-27, 67-64 Matthew 67 - 45 Aaron Roblo, 13 Vic Lardizabal, 5 Kyle Lardizabal, 4 Jeff Alquizar, 0 Honorio Gayeta, 0 Jun Adille John 64 - 31 AC Gonzales, 9 Orly Malupa, 8 Raph Pacheco, 6 Rey Malupa, 6 Ryan Malupa, 2 Apollos Aguinaldo, 2 Kevin Sanchez, 0 Jenzhel Sanchez Luke grabs top spot via an incredible game winner by Gayeta to beat Mark GBBC, March 8, 2022. Superstar Mario Gayeta provided the last punch of an exhilarating game as his layup with 2.9 seconds remaining in overtime gives Luke the top spot in the tournament. With Matthew’s win earlier in the night, a victory in this game becomes more important as the winner would take the top spot and the twice to beat advantage. The losing team would drop to 3rd place and will have a twice to beat disadvantage against John to start the playoffs. If the first game was any indication, we are in for a ride as two powerhouse teams lay it all on the court to masterfully end the elimination games of the 1st PBA tournament. A familiar recurring theme manifested itself as Mark quickly got their offense going and sent Luke searching for answers. The answer was a no brainer as they quickly leaned on their superstar Mario Gayeta who started rolling offensively. An ugly stretch during the first half went by where both teams struggled to score a basket leading to a low scoring half which was uncharacteristic for both teams equipped with such offensive firepower. Mark padded their lead further reaching as high as 8 points, 16-8. But Luke started to find their groove as their 1-2 punch came to the rescue. Gayeta and spitfire guard Lloyd Duga-duga combined to score the last 8 points of the half to trim the deficit to 1, 16-17, heading into the break. Gayeta started on fire with 10 points. Duga-duga added 6 for his team. Big man Ezekiel Aguinaldo led the orange team with 7 points while versatile forward Ponciano Tan aided him with 6 points. The offense for both teams clicked to start the 2nd half. Gayeta picked up where he left off scoring on multiple opportunities from almost every area on the floor. Luke takes the driver seat as the score is kept close all throughout. Curiously, Mr. Consistent Tan, who scored 48 last game, was not in his usual groove offensively as he failed to score consistently. Luke was ahead by 3, 40-37 looking to build a larger cushion heading to the final minutes. Guard Gerald Gabriel however scored off a left wing 3 pointer to even the score once again.
Mark relied heavily on offensive rebounds and putbacks by Aguinaldo to keep them in the game. Both teams continued to tussle as no one could build any type of momentum heading to the last minutes. Finally, Tan came alive in the final 2 minutes basically carrying his team behind his back. He scored on 2 consecutive baskets to give Mark a temporary lead. They were immediately answered by 2 clutch baskets from forward Bay Gayeta. Tan continued his crusade as he scored 4 points off free throws. Gayeta answered with 2 mid range clutch jumpers of his own, tying the game once again with less than 30 seconds remaining. Tan scored another layup but Gayeta quickly answered with another shot to tie the game at 54 with 9 seconds remaining. Mark failed to capitalize on the winning opportunity as they missed the possible game winning shot sending the game to an extra period. Luke seized the opportunity during the extra time as they quickly pounced and built a 6 point lead capped off by a three point shot by Duga-duga. Gabriel answered the call as he scored 5 quick points to eventually cut the deficit to a single point. Gayeta answered with another mid range. In a back breaking development, Tan fouled out and had to watch the game from the sidelines. The back and forth ensued as both teams took their turns with a single point lead. Gabriel scored a layup with less than 10 seconds remaining but Gayeta quickly answered with a layup with 2.9 seconds remaining. The desperate heave by Gotonero did not hit the rim as time expired. Tan led Mark’s valiant effort with 28 points as he displayed brilliance in the clutch. Center Aguinaldo was steady with 17 points dominating the boards as well. Gabriel saved his best game with 12 points, 7 on incredible clutch baskets in overtime, as he carried the baton when Tan fouled out. Duga-duga finished with 17 points to help Luke grab the top spot. The best player of the game is superstar Mario Gayeta who finished with an impressive 42 points including the gut wrenching game winner. He finished the elimination round with an MVP worthy performance. Luke will now face Matthew in the playoffs as they reap the twice to beat advantage reward. Mark on the other hand faces a familiar foe in John to complete the playoff matchups. Scores: 16-17, 54-54, 71-70 (OT) Luke 71 - 42 Mario Gayeta, 17 Lloyd Duga-duga, 6 Bay Gayeta, 4 Romel Galara, 2 John Paul Caramoan, 0 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Mariano Gayeta, 0 PJ Gayeta, 0 Ben Gayeta Mark 70 - 28 Ponciano Tan, 17 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 12 Gerald Gabriel, 8 Marlito Gotonero, 5 Axcel Quisimundo, 0 Joey Aguinaldo, 0 Joseph Aguinaldo, 0 Jake Pagatpat Results from March 8 John avoided a major meltdown by managing to keep the score close and snagging the second spot along with a twice to beat advantage because of a superior quotient than that of Mark. Mark now needs to beat John twice to move on to the finals. Matthew faces a red hot Luke to start the playoffs as they will work for an upset. Top Scorers of the Tournament
Playoffs start now. Luke wants to punch the first ticket to the finals as they battle a very game Matthew squad in the first game. John looks to dust off their straight losses as they clash with Mark in the 2nd game. Both games will be played on March 22, 2022 at GBBC. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday. Wedding bells are ringing. A halt in the action please. We will take a 2 week break in our games before the playoffs. Our very own John’s Bro. Orly Malupa will exchange his hardcourt uniform for a tuxedo to exchange wedding vows with Sis. Arlene Callo on March 15, 2022 at GBBC. Let’s call it a perfect 50 points and a wonderful start of marriage for Bro. Orly and Sis. Arlene. Best wishes! /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Chloe Aguinaldo Current Standings Team W L Quotient Margins John 3 2 +20 +12, +13, +2, -1, -6 Mark 3 2 +8 -12, +12, -4, +1, +11 Luke 3 2 +4 +11, -13, +4, -4, +6 Matthew 1 4 -32 -11, -12, -2, +4, -11 Luke outshoots skidding John GBBC, March 1, 2022. Luke did enough offensively to stave off John who is now in a 2 game losing streak. Superstar Mario Gayeta exploded in the 2nd half to deliver a win to Luke as he outshoots the entire John team during the period. This win ties Luke with John at 3-2 in the standings as the latter finds themselves in a downward spiral losing their last 2 games. After witnessing several high scoring games in the past weeks, viewers are treated this time with a game of upmanship as Luke played it smart in the end game to win their 3rd game of the tournament. The first half was a low scoring affair as both teams struggled to find a rhythm offensively. John went ahead 25-17 at one point but the red team made a run to finish the first half strong. They unleashed an 11-4 run to trim the lead to 1 heading to the break. Main man AC Gonzales leads all scorers at the half with 14. Shifty guard Raph Pacheco added 9 for John. Spitfire guard Duga-duga and big man John Paul Caramoan lead Luke with 9 points each. In the second half, the offense picked up for both teams. Duga-duga committed his 4th foul early in the half and John tried to capitalize. Missed shots and spongy defense was the downfall for John as Luke took the driver’s seat. It did not help matters when an inadvertent elbow from Pacheco hit Gonzales in the eye in a drive attempt. Luke took advantage of Gonzales’ temporary absence and created a comfortable cushion. Late in the game, Luke leads 54-44 looking to coast to a win. The black and gold team refused to give in and unleashed a 6-0 run to trim the deficit to 4. Luke displayed veteran smarts as they took advantage of the lead and the clock winding down. Missed free throws from both teams kept the game close and exciting. However, Luke made enough to iced the game at the free throw line. Gayeta scored 20 of his 26 points in the 2nd half as he punished John in the mid range. Duga-duga added 11 in the 2nd half to finish with 20 points. AC Gonzales top scored his team with 27 points. Pacheco added 14 for their team’s valiant effort. The win continued the pattern for Luke as they continued to swap wins and losses. They look to break off this pattern as they battle Mark in the last game of the tournament. Scores: Luke 59 - 26 Mario Gayeta, 20 Lloyd Duga-duga, 9 John Paul Caramoan, 4 Bay Gayeta, 0 Gabriel Tanyag, 0 Romel Galara, 0 Mariano Gayeta, 0 PJ Gayeta, 0 Ben Gayeta John 53 - 27 AC Gonzales, 14 Raph Pacheco, 5 Apollos Aguinaldo, 3 Rey Malupa, 2 Ryan Malupa, 1 Orly Malupa, 1 Jenzhel Sanchez, 0 Kevin Sanchez, 0 Sam Pacheco, 0 Gel Rafols Mark halt Matthew’s momentum with big 2nd half performance GBBC, March 1, 2022. Mark’s team plays trump Matthew late in the game amidst an offensive exhibition by Tan and Roblo. Mark kept their momentum going as they rallied in the 2nd half to stop Matthew in their tracks. Both teams relied heavily on their respective offensive guns as they battled for better position in the standings. Coming off a big win, Matthew was looking to build some more steam to crash the party before the playoffs. A win in this game would tie them with Mark but the black and orange team would do everything in their power to deny the pushback. Matthew started off hot as they scored the first 8 points of the game courtesy of an offensive explosion from Roblo. An early timeout cooled down the stalwarts of Mark as they slowly eased into the flow of the game. It did not help their cause as big man Ezekiel Aguinaldo found himself in foul trouble as they could not stop Roblo inside from scoring. Ponciano Tan made his presence felt as he scored 14 points to trim the deficit. Roblo finished the half with 21 big points as he basically carried the green team going to the half leading 29-25. Mark changed their defensive strategy to start the second half as they tightened up their defense inside. They snatched the lead early in the 2nd half as Mr. Consistent Tan continued to score. Roblo continued his hot streak but points came sporadically this time as Mark focused on stopping Matthew’s offensive flow. The green team also went into early penalty in the 2nd half that did not help their bid. Foul trouble plagued The Tank Vic Lardizabal as he nursed 4 fouls all throughout the 2nd half. Guard Gerald Gabriel also made his mark by fishing more fouls as he added 4 points off the stripe. Big man Aguinaldo played limited minutes before fouling out in the midway of the second half. The Tank tried to help Roblo offensively but his shots were not falling for Matthew. Shifty guard Lunie Sebial came out as the Robin to Roblo’s Batman as he scored 10 points to keep them in the game. However, Tan continued to rain down the score punctuated by a 3 point shot that increased the lead that Mark would protect until the end game. The Tank finished with 6 points before fouling out. Matthew had a chance to trim the deficit but 2 consecutive costly turnovers were converted by Gotonero and Quisimundo on the other end. Aaron Roblo finished with a fiery 43 points as he dominated the paint all throughout the game. However, Ponciano Tan stole the show as he finished 2 points shy of an Osmeña. Mr. Consistent now sets the record for most points in the tournament with 48. Scores: Mark 74 - 48 Ponciano Tan, 9 Ezekiel Aguinaldo, 8 Axcel Quisimundo, 5 Marlito Gotonero, 4 Gerald Gabriel, 0 Joey Aguinaldo, 0 Joseph Aguinaldo, 0 Jake Pagatpat Matthew 63 - 43 Aaron Roblo, 10 Lunie Sebial, 6 Vic Lardizabal, 2 Honorio Gayeta, 2 Jeff Alquizar, 0 Kyle Lardizabal, 0 Jun Adille Credits
Credits to Bro. Axcel Quisimundo and Sis. Leah Joy Gayeta for helping this writer to gather the right information for this article. Fallout from March 1 Three teams are tied at 3-2 with John holding on to the top spot with their superior quotient. Mark takes the 2nd spot with a higher winning margin than Luke. This development sets up next week’s game between Luke and Mark to have more implications than any other game. Matthew settles for the 4th spot waiting for who will emerge with the top spot next week. Final games of elimination to be played next week. John looks to bounce back from a 2 game losing streak against an ever dangerous Matthew. Mark and Luke battle in the hard court for a chance to grab the top spot of the standings. Both games will be played on March 8, 2022 at GBBC. Games start at 7 PM every Tuesday. /written by: Kevin Sanchez /photos by: Michaella Pacheco |
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