BAGUIO CITY – It is all tied up in the YMCA Cup Membership Division playoff series as Team C and D came up with upset wins over Team’s A and B, respectively, last May 22, 2017 at the YMCA Gym, here.
Determined to win the game, Team A’s campaign for a strong finish materialized in the first canto of play as they pushed through a 24-13 blast to finish the first quarter of play for an 11-point advantage. Team A continued to have control of the boards in the second canto, however, got outscored by Team “C” 20-17, to still lead by eight points, 41-33, at the end of the first half buzzer.
Team C connected a couple of three point conversions in the third canto inning to come closer as they patiently cut off Team ”A’s” lead to four points to get back in the game, 59-63, at the end of the third canto action.
A two-for-two conversion from the 15 foot line and another field goal by Team C to open the fourth quarter tied the ballgame at 63-all and gave Team “C” the momentum to strategize both their offensive and defensive plays. This would materialize in the later part of the fourth canto as they completed a 32-15 run, giving them the upper hand in the last minute of the game, 81-78.
Desperately looking for a chance to tie the ballgame for a possible overtime, Team A gave up four consecutive fouls that sent Team C to the 15-foot line where they had six conversions that bloated their lead and eventually ending the ballgame on a 10-0 blast, 91-78.
Meanwhile, Team D also upended Team B in their battle for third, to set up a do-or-die clash for the bronze.
After a tied ballgame in the first canto 19-all, Team D ignited a run in the second canto, posting a 28-20 blast that catapulted them to the driver’s seat, 47-39, at the end of the 1st half of play.
Team D proceeded to gain more leverage in successfully controlling the boards during the third and maintain their lead at the end of the quarter, 72-66. Team D then piled up more points in the fourth canto to usher their win, a 99-79 count at the end game buzzer.
By: BOBBY VINLUAN
