Knights live to fight another day, force Game 3 vs Cookies

Team Knights and Cookies & Team will face off in a sudden death match for the APCRAA Basketball Tournament (ABT) Season 5 Men’s Division Championship after Team Knights fired back at Cookies’ Game One win by dominating Game Two, 90-84, on Saturday, October 12 at the Asia Pacific College Gymnasium.

Reigning Most Valuable Player Mark Rivera crashed the boards with 23 rebounds and scored 16 points for Team Knights. Nonoy Sonbise led the Knights in scoring with 23 points. Team captain Jhonel de Luna contributed 17 points.

Despite missing the services of team captain Brix Estabillo due to an injury he suffered from Game 1, and the absence of playing coach CJ Pring, Cookies managed to hold the fort and get the headstart in the first half, leading by as much as 16 points.

Sonbise exploded in the third quarter, scoring 11 points to help the Knights tie the game at the end of the period, 66-all.

They did not look back since then, stepping on the gas pedal until the final buzzer.

Norman Ringor had 23 points and 8 rebounds. He needs 17 more rebounds to be the first player to join the 500 rebounds club. Joemark Belardo scored 15 points plus 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. Guess dela Cuesta had 14 points; he needs 8 more to surpass the 500-point plateau.

Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday, October 19, 5:00pm at the APC Gymnasium.

THE SCORES:

COOKIES & TEAM (84): Ringor 23, Belardo 15, Dela Cuesta 14, De Luna 11, Gratil 9, Villas 4, Prion 4, Canseco 2, Trinidad 2, De Guzman 0, San Diego 0

KNIGHTS (90): Sonbise 23, De Luna 17, Rivera 16, Hermo JC 11, Hermo JL 5, Cerrado 5, Pintado 2, Dionisio 2, Banua M 0, Vizconde 0, Brioso 0

QUARTERSCORES: 24-20, 50-39, 66-66, 84-90

REFEREES: A. Sarmiento, R. Francisco, J. Buce

FIBA LiveStats: https://www.fibalivestats.com/u/APC/1377485