POSTED BY: Eurobasket Center
Hope springs eternal for Ol'Aces II.
After starting the 2004 BANMI Budweiser Cup season 0-11, the team was finally able to notch win No. 1 following a griping 81-80 overtime win against Lebwel (1-10) Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Ol'Aces II's victory, however, wasn't without drama as the final score clearly suggests. They led 72-65 following a breakaway layup by Mighty Mouse Mike Olaitaman with less than two minutes left in regulation.
But much like what happened in past games involving Ol'Aces II, the team would fall into a myriad of errors that allowed Lebwel to make a comeback and force overtime.
In the extra period, Lebwel appeared to have the number of Ol'Aces II early on as swingman Taula Peter and center Ryan Camacho conspired to give the team a 79-75 lead.
But Ambrose Ogumoro, who didn't see much action in regulation, would hit a tough turnaround shot to trim Lebwel's lead to a bucket with less than two minutes to go in the ballgame.
Following a made free throw by Peter, unheralded Greg Iginoef scooted in for an uncontested layup and Ol'Aces II was now down only by a point, 79-80.
Both teams would exchange turnovers in the next two plays before Ogumoro would once again rise to the challenge, scoring from inside to shove Ol'Aces II to the lead.
Lebwel then botched a couple of more plays in the final seconds, allowing Ol'Aces II to escape with the win.
Olaitaman led Ol'Aces II with 34 points. Workmanlike power forward Joe Chong was the only other Ol'Aces II player to finish in double figures with 15 markers.
Ben Peliseman paced a balanced attack by Lebwel with 16 points. He, however, finished the game on the bench after getting leg cramps. Peter added 15 and Camacho 14 points in a losing cause.
The eye-of-the-needle escape by Ol'Aces II was worthy of the first game after Lent and was appropriate especially since it happened the day after Resurrection Sunday.
Still, it could've gone either way with Lebwel making a good run at it at the end of regulation and overtime.
Sparked by timely hits from Taula Peter and Ryan Camacho, Lebwel would go on a 6-0 tear to close the gap at 72-71 with about 12 ticks remaining.
Following an errant pass on an Ol'Aces II inbound, Lebwel took the offensive one last time that ended with Peter getting fouled on his way for a layup with about four seconds left in the game clock.
Peter, who in his last trip went 2-for-2 from the line, would swoosh the first charity to knot the game up at 72-all. But the nerves obviously got the better of him in his second free throw and the game went into overtime, which in the end Ol'Aces II made the most of.
In the second game, Sunrisers held league-leading scorer Dave Sablan to a measly 11 points and won against Diablo 68-57.
Sunrisers (5-7) was bannered by the 19 points of Mark Wallace, who got plenty of help from Jawn Joyner (15 points) and Jerome Reyes (12 points).
Steve Rasa was the highpoint man for Diablo (7-5) with 16 points, while center Shane Villanueva chipped in 11 markers.
The Budweiser Cup resumes this evening with Diablo taking on Sun Devils starting at 7pm. The 8:30pm second game would then feature Toyota Ol'Aces I facing off against APC Brothers.
First Game
Ol'Aces II 81 - Olaitaman 34, Chong 15, Palacios 8, Tagabuel 7, Ogumoro 6, Odoshi 4, G. Iginoef 4, Taisakan 2. Lee 1.
Lebwel 80 - B. Peliseman 16, Peter 15, Camacho 14, Pua 13, R. Peliseman 12, Pangelinan 7, Torres 2.
Scoring by quarters: 20-15, 37-29, 60-49, 75-75, 81-80(OT).
Second Game
Sunrisers 68 - Wallace 19, Joyner 15, Reyes 12, Peters 8, J. Quitugua 6, McDaniel 2, Castro 2, R. Quitugua 2, Masga 2.
Diablo 57 - S. Rasa 16, Sablan 11, Villanueva 11, P. Rasa 10, Masga 9.
Scoring by quarters: 18-10, 38-26, 52-45, 68-57.
