La Trinidad, Benguet – The 35 and Up team of Isaac broke away from a close third quarter and survived rallies from PROCOR to take them out with a 112-107 close-out win at the La Trinidad Municipal Gym last Wednesday, May 20, 2015 and barge into the finals of the 35 and Up bracket of the Strawberry Cup.
Up 67-65 midway through the third quarter, Isaac engineered a 16-8 run to start a break away from the tight contest, 83-73, two minutes left in the third. PROCOR scored two straight baskets on drives by Jerico Junio and a jumper by Gerry Rigos against a basket and a freethrow by Arman Pasion for Isaac ended the quarter, 86-79.
PROCOR began the fourth with a goal Rodelio Samson and two free throws by Rigos to inch closer, 86-83 before Isaac answered two unanswered baskets by Pasion to restore the lead. That’s when PROCOR went on a 14-9 run on the strength of two converted three-points plays, one each by Junio and Rigos, to inch closer again, 101-99, 4:38 left.
Isaac momentarily got out of trouble with six unanswered points, 107-99. Two of the basket came from lay-ups out of properly executed outlet passes to Michael Hermosado, who converted them, 2:18 left. They were prepared to just coast along only to find PROCOR does not intend to go away just yet. Another completed three-point play plus a frethrow by Rigos and two freethrows by Junio brought PROCOR back to the game, 107-105, time down to 1:09.
An exchange of misses brought the time down to 35 seconds when Joey Bona was fouled during a post-up play. He made one of his two attempts to bring up the lead to three, 108-105, forcing PROCOR to call a timeout.
When play ensued, PROCOR opted to go for a quick drive but the Isaac defenders converged to block the attempt and the ball touch a PROCOR player who was on the outside to send possession to Isaac, time down to 17 seconds.
Bona was then send to the line again and this time he calmly sank the two attempts to ice the game.
Isaac led the first quarter, 30-23, and the second quarter, 56-51. Isaac will meet topseed Crossroads in the finals.
