Bumblebees down 2K15 in close game to force rubber match

Team Bumblebees scored a victory against Team 2K15, 84-79 in their APCRAA Basketball Tournament (ABT) semifinals series on Saturday, September 22 at the Asia Pacific College Gymnasium.

The win set up a do-or-die game between the two teams on Saturday, September 29 at 5:00pm for the right to advance to the ABT Finals.

Bumblebees’ Brix Estabillo led their team’s charge with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Rolem Macaspac and Lester De Luna contributed in the scoring department as well with 12 points each.

2K15’s Abe Tanco became the top scorer of the game, finishing with 36 points and 9 rebounds. Pepe Canseco had a double-double performance, 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The game was a see-saw battle, with no team leading with more than 10 points. With the game tied at 79-all, Ken Villas of Bumblebees scored a crucial basket via a putback from his own shot attempt to gain the lead, 81-79 with 42 seconds remaining.

In the next possession, 2K15’s Chan Amparo missed two free throws after he got hacked by Villas. De Luna secured the rebound, and 2k15 was forced to foul Michael San Diego. He split his charities and left 2K15 with a small window to force the game into overtime.

However, Abe Tanco missed the potential game-tying three-point basket. Estabillo then got fouled three times. He missed his first four free throws, but sealed the win with the last two charity shots.

THE SCORES (FIBA LiveStats):

2K15 (79): Tanco 36, Canseco 13, Gratil A 11, Dela Cuesta 7, Amparo 7, Nartia 3, Ang 2, Gratil E 0, Abdon 0

BUMBLEBEES (84): Estabillo 20, Macaspac 12, De Luna 12, Altre 11, Belardo 9, De Guzman 8, San Diego 5, Villas 4, Prion 3, Trinidad 0, Rubio 0, Pring 0

QUARTERSCORES: 19-16, 42-40, 61-64, 79-84