Team Alpha will qualify in the playoffs for the second time after defeating Team Avengers, 85-68, in their final game of the APCRAA Basketball Tournament (ABT) 2017 season men’s division elimination round on Saturday, August 12, at the APC Gymnasium.
Jhonel de Luna lead Team Alpha in scoring with 20 points, plus 6 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Alex Tagle comes in second with 12 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
At the Avengers side, Archie Gratil carried the scoring load with 29 points, plus 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Rey Eje also had a good game with 18 points and 15 rebounds.
With only six players available for the Avengers, they kept the game close in the first half. Fatigue set in at the second half as Alpha pulled away with a double-digit lead in the third quarter.
Emotions ran high in the final minutes, as Jeru Castañares and Archie Gratil escalated the game’s physicality. This culminated at the 6 second mark of the 4th quarter, when Gratil bounced the ball off the head of Dave Perez. Gratil, Perez and Avengers team captain George Nartia were handed technical fouls for making fighting stances. The remaining time in the game was allowed to expire to defuse the tension.
All of the players involved in the altercation were immediately called by Tournament Commissioner Dann Garcia after the game to resolve the issue. The players shook each other’s hands after the short meeting.
Team Alpha posted a 3-2 record after their victory, tying with Team OGs and Team Bumblebees. Due to an inferior quotient against both teams, Alpha will finish the eliminations in 4th place. They will meet top finisher Team ASPAC in the semifinals on August 19 at 8pm with a twice-to-win disadvantage.
How they scored (FIBA LiveStats)
ALPHA (85): De Luna 20, Tagle 12, Esguerra 11, Castanares 11, Rivera 10, Ysulan 8, Dosado 6, Canseco 4, Lim 2, Perez 1
AVENGERS (68): Gratil A 29, Eje 18, Gratil E 11, Battung 4, Abdon 3, Nartia 3
Period scores: 17-17, 35-29, 64-52, 85-68