Team Bumblebees’ hopes of defending their championship are still alive after defeating Team OGs in a 54-point blowout, 118-64, at the start of the APRCRAA Basketball Tournament (ABT) 2017 season men’s division semifinals on Saturday, August 19, at the APC Gymnasium.
The win by Bumblebees will force Team OGs into a semifinals rubber match on August 26, with the winner advancing to the championship round on September 2.
Bumblebees also broke the record for the most scored points in a game and the largest winning margin in ABT history since the 2015 First Conference.
Daniel Patrick Trinidad had a breakout game, scoring 24 points, including four consecutive three-point shots in the 3rd quarter. Joemark Belardo came in second in scoring with 16 points and 5 assists.
Leading MVP candidate Jon Batuhan had a 30-point game output with 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals. JP Redelick also had a good game with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
The game started with a 7-0 Bumblebees run. Team OGs immediately called a timeout but this didn’t stop the Bumblebees’ onslaught as they increased the lead by more than 20 points before halftime. The Bumblebees outrebounded their opposition, giving them a lot of second chance points.
Team OGs tried to salvage the game in the third quarter, but shots from the rainbow country by Trinidad and Arie Altre pushed the Bumblebees’ lead further out of reach by the final buzzer.
How they scored: (FIBA LiveStats)
BUMBLEBEES (118): Trinidad 23, Altre 22, Belardo 16, Ringor 10, De Guzman 10, Macaspac 9, Estabillo 7, San Diego 3, Rubio 2, Pring 2
OGs (64): Batuhan 30, Redelick 24, Paraiso 6, Go 2, Pitallar 2, Agito 0, Rivera 0, Viray 0, Artymiak 0, Aotay 0
BOXSCORES: 27-13, 49-37, 88, 53, 118-64