Bugo bucks two ejections to beat Macabalan, 96-95

WITH their back against the wall, the spirited brgy. Bugo dribblers refused to go down, eking out a nightmarish 96-95 escape over brgy. Macabalan in district 2 open division semifinals of the 2017 Inter-Barangay Basketball Tournament last Tuesday at the Nazareth gym here.

Slapped with two ejection calls, Team Bugo saw its 15-point lead whittled down to four, 46-42 at the end of the first half. But survive they did.

Coming from a loss to Macabalan in the elimination round, the revenge-seeking Bugo had their comfortable lead almost put to waste in the face of Macabalan’s searing rally.

Bugo starts complaining on the calls of referee Darrel Lopez after Macabalan wrested the lead by five, 6459 in the third quarter.

Then, a commotion ensued when Lopez called for the ejection of Bugo coach Christopher Fuentes and starting center Ritchie Muñoz for constant complaining while the game is in progress.

Muñoz disputed the referee’s decision on last touch violation.

“Mao `tong nireklamo mi og ayo kay sige na ang sayop sa tawag ug klaro ug tataw nga wala nila makit-an ang Macabalan nga maoy last touch,” coach Fuentes rued.

Bugo threatened to walk out after the double ejections, though cooler heads interfere and convinced them to finish the game.

The tandem of Kent Macapayad and Jessie Bolivar conspired a telling run that erased Macabalan’s 9-point spread and forced a 91-all deadlock with 1:08 minute left in the fourth and final quarter.

A pair of free throws by Chris Aguilar put Macabalan back on the lead, 95-93 with 9 seconds remaining.

But Nikko Abejero quickly answered with a strong drive to the basket and fished a foul on the process.

With just 1.9 ticks left, Abejero completed a 3-point play from the freethrow line to ice the victory for Bugo, 96-95 as Macabalan failed to convert in their last ball possession.

Macapayad paced Bugo with 18 points, while Bolivar and Abejero chipped in 16 and 15 markers apiece.