BCT Atoms escape gritty PMA Cavaliers
BAGUIO College of Technology stopped a streaking Philippine Military Academy down the stretch to pull off an 85 - 81 win Saturday afternoon in the ongoing men’s basketball of the Baguio - Benguet Educational Athletic League season 31.
The Atoms relied on the late heroics of Azzir Rabara and a sorry miss from point blank range by Cavalier Allan Paul Mendoza to stay undefeated after two games.
PMA battled from a nine point deficit early in the ball game before tying the score at 60 all at the close of the third period but the Atoms fired a 7 – 0 run with Reynil Amargo, Rabara and Marben Asilio leading the charge to erect a 67 60 advantage with 8:13 remaining in the pay off canto.
Despite the early foul trouble, BCT managed to stay ahead in the ballgame with 74 – 67 advantage with 6:13 remaining courtesy of a triple by Melvin John Vinoya who later on fouled out of the ball game with 3:45 left in the pay off canto with 14 markers including four treys.
The Cavaliers, known as the toughest athlete in the league slowly chipped the lead as Mendoza and Aaron Nathaniel Torres teaming up to pull within one, 80 – 79, with 1:46 left in the clock.
Kram William Domingo made it a three point affair, 82 – 79, on a strong drive to the basket with 1:18 remaining as both squads failed to convert in their succeeding possession.
PMA’s Mendoza however made it another one point ball game scoring on fast break, 81 -82, with 19.5 seconds while Amargo of the Atoms scored one of his two free throws with BCT enjoying a precarious two point advantage with 13.5 ticks remaining.
The Cavaliers sued for time in the ensuing basket and designed a possible game tying play with Mendoza but missed a running jumper in the remaining eight seconds of the ball game.
Domingo was later on sent to the foul line but only scored one, however, Rabara went on to grab the rebound and sealed the victory for the Harrison Road based dribblers.
Rabara led the Atoms with his team high 20 points with four others, including Vinoya scoring in double digit. Armando Pollante, who also fouled out with 2:00 minutes remaining in the final quarter finished with 15 points while Marben Asilio and Amargo chipped in 13 and 10 markers each.
Mendoza’s 30 point production went to naught with Torres adding 25 as Drexler Mayomis came up with 11. Roderick Osis