In what can be the most closely called game in the history of the APCRAA Alumni Basketball Tournament (AABT), the ASPAC Boys tallied their third win against Team Alpha, 82-80, on Saturday at the APC Gymnasium.
The win gives the ASPAC Boys a playoff spot and will be on the run for the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals.
Three players for the ASPAC Boys scored in double digits, headed by Mark Pagaduan with 24 points, with 14 rebounds, 2 assist and 3 blocks. Carlo Aboboto and Joseph Gamboa scored 18 and 14 points respectively.
Felix Tagle led Alpha with 19 points, with 7 rebounds and 4 steals. Mark Montojo scored 15 points, all came from the three point arc. Jhonel De Luna dominated the boards with 16 rebounds, while scoring 12 points.
Both teams has their scoring runs throughout the game, Alpha was able to estabilsh a 14 point lead at the 3:46 mark of the third quarter but a 13-0 run into the first minutes of the fourth quarter virtually erased the Alpha lead.
Alpha regained their compusure and increased their lead to 6 points with 7:40 remaining in the fourth quarter but another ASPAC rally erased the deficit with 3 minutes in the game. The lead changed between the teams up to the last two minutes of the game. Carlo Aboboto made a three point shot with 37 seconds remaining, but was answered back by a three point shot by Felix Tagle of Alpha, tying the game with 20 seconds remaining.
After an ASPAC Boys timeout, Kenneth Lim fouled VG Agdamag as he is driving into the paint, as the Aplha had not yet entered into penalty situation. In the insuing play with three seconds remaining in the game, Joseph Gamboa missed a game winning basket but Mark Pagaduan was able to grab the rebound and made a followup shot. As the buzzer sounded, the referee saw Alpha player Jeff Dosado pulling the net as the ball was still above the ring.
The referees concluded that Dosado made a goaltending violation by pulling the net while the ball is making its way into the ring. Aboboto was given the buzzer beating shot, thus giving them the victory with a slim margin.
Both teams will be back in action on September 10 as the ASPAC Boys will play their final elimination round game against the Cav Guards, while Team Alpha will face Team Warriors.
Boxscores (click here for full stats):
ASPAC Boys (82): Pagaduan 24, Aboboto 18, Gamboa 14, Quiloy 8, Chadnani 5, Agdamag V 5, Plan 4, Gonzales 3, Illustre 1, Ramos 0, Nayve 0
Alpha (80): Tagle 19, Montojo M 15, De Luna 12, Castanares 11, Lim 9, Lardizabal 6, Canseco 2, Dionisio 2, Perez 2, Dosado 2, Estorque 0, Montojo J 0
Quarterscores: 15-20, 37-37, 59-60, 82-80