BAGUIO CITY – Intense action filled the YMCA gym at the opening of the semi final birth of the 12TH YMCA CUP, here as ROC closely defeated Bracket Y adversary GWE, 95-83, last Sunday, September 25, 2016.
GWE came out strong in the first canto of play, converting three for three attempts in the three point area in the first minutes of the ballgame and a fourth three pointer in the dying minute of the first canto to post a 25-22 run and lead by three 25-22 at the end of the buzzer. ROC came back in the second canto of play by also converting three triples at the dying minutes that bolstered ROC to lead by ten points in a 25-14 run, 47-37.
A slow scoring game ensued at the third canto of play with both opponents measuring each other, with ROC managing to maintain the lead at the end of the third quarter with nine points. Fourth Quarter action saw ROC get more advantage as they controlled the boards and the pace of the game. GWE lost their esteem as they have to depend on their shaky field goals making in the midst ROC’s persistence to win the game had steady conversions on the field. A 26-30 fourth fourth canto standoff forced GWE into a decision game.
Meanwhile, Bracket M’s BWD-A also nipped VISCOR in their two to beat match-up in the semis in a one sided game, 90-81. BWD-A posted a 24-11 run in the first canto of play for the lead. ViSCOR came back in the second canto of play to chip off the lead, igniting a 24-21 blast to end the half, 45-38, bringing down BWD-A lead to seven points.
Determined to win to be able to force BWD-A in a rematch, VISCOR geared up in the third quarter of play to post a 27-22 blast, further chipping off BWD-A’s lead to only three points, 68-65, at the end of the third.
BWD-A’s control of the game pace in the fourth gave them the advantage as they got to increased their lead back until the dying minutes of the fourth canto of play. They limited VISCOR to only 16 points against a 24 point conversion to end the fourth canto of play and earn a position in the final round.
Other winners in the final round are: Bracket A group A, ROC-B 81-BWD-B 78, Bracket A-A, ARTIAGA 75- SUPREME 59, Bracket A-B FALCONS 91- SUNTRUST 71, Bracket M BALLER BLOOPERS 83 – JINX 73.
