The PBAM Rebound Vol. 7

The PBAM Rebound Vol. 7

Winter League Finals 2015 – 2016

by Jake Maguigad

April 30th was a glory day, notch it as one for the ages, from Opening tip-off to the ALL STARS AWARDS hats off. Not good but great, from buzzer-beaters, overtimes, shockers to heart – warming teary disappointments. And all played spirited but clean, no rancor, no ill feelings, true to the Opening day and traditional athletes prayer “if we should win, let it be by the code, with honor and pride held high but if we should lose, let us stand by the court and cheer as the winner goes by” … Enough said, PBAM is, after all, what Montreal Filipino Basketball is all about. This is how PBAM plays the game…. and it should.

In the 8-log Division , PAAWIS schooled GIG 51-36. MVP : Jherome Punzalan .

In the Itlog Division , BAKERS showed their mastery over GIG, 56 – 38. MVP : Randolph Valle .

In the SISIW Division , PAAWIS showed no mercy, pummeling BAKERS 69-39. MVP : Christian Payawal .

For the PIPIT Division , GIG had the chance to take another crack at a title but could not shake off bad karma. Underdogs, gutsy GIG leveled the score at 54 all, time down to 5 seconds, overtime looming. But an unfortunate but crucial GIG foul, time down to 1.3 seconds, sent Marvin Sagenes to the foul line. He cooly sank both free shots to seal the game, 56 – 54. Shouts of joy and tears of disappointment followed a very inspiring game. Way to go, both!!!! MVP : Joshua Abalos .

The Lawin Division match – up PANTHERS vs. PAAWIS pitted high jumping, tireless, daring juveniles with a variety of shots, 3 point shots, circus layups, you name, they have it. All things being equal, who wins? The team who want it more and gets the lucky bounces prevails. In this case, PANTHERS got the laurels with a 65-57 decision over PAAWIS. MVP : Rexcel Toquero .

PABCOMS After a woesome and lethargic 1st half, ALL CITY 30 tuned up and shifted to overdrive to zoom past TRIBONG PINOY 71 – 56 to clinch the 30+ title. MVP : Timmy Boayes .

The stellar game, SIKAT OPEN between PAAWIS and the NUGGETS did not live up to its billing. The much ballyhooed challenge was a whimper of a game, PAAWIS sweat clouding the NUGGET glitter with a 63 – 50 yawner. MVP : Jeremy Narciso .

FEEL GOOD GAMES: Good….. In the PAREHAS OPEN , AK-1 tangled with FCAWI, a match-up between “gurang / gulang” veterans and “moose-moose” neophytes. Like grabbing lollipop from a baby, a virtual cakewalk. That easy? you’d be surprised. FCAWI called the shots and dictated terms until the last minute. This was the time smarts and court savvy comes into play. With the score tied at 48 all, time down to seconds, AK milked the time and with 3 seconds the ball was in Tanjo Narciso’s hands (coincident or mapped out by Coach Wesley Estioko?) Tanjo let loose a hail Mary shot, pumasok !!!!! sadya o chamba? Yea… 50-48 for AK. MVP : Jayrald Arbis .

BETTER: In the KUMAKANA Open , two Gens locked horns, Glen Suan’s GEN-X vs. Jek Carpio’s CHOSEN GEN. It also featured 2 very exciting and scintillating young point guards, Zee de Guzman (Chosen Gen) and Errol “Cap” Timbal (Gen X). Talk about an exciting game, this was and more, from tip-off to the mob-scene celebration in overtime after Cap Timbal connected a 3 pointer with 2 seconds left. Too bad a team had to lose. MVP : Errol Timbol .

BEST: The 40+ game deserved the best rating. It showed the maturity and demeanor, finally, of rough and tumble players in front of a full crowd of parents and the upcoming generation. Art Carrera/s charges, stung and still fuming over last year’s loss to BANNA, came better prepared to meet a sprite FSA 44 crew. Playing in a long court, good time management by both benches, adaptable to age, brought out a deliberate offense backed by an intimidating “hawakan and dahan-dahan ka lang” defense typical of that age group. SAF, on Mike Handinero’s sizzling game, built an early double figure lead. But La Salle, with all their savvy and smarts, inched back to make it a nip and tuck game. In the dying minutes, if not seconds, James Bulchand uncorked one of his reliable jumpers to break a tie and surge ahead and the win. So it seems. A last second jumpshot by Jex Mendiola to tie the score was waived off. La Salle wins…. not so fast. A review of camera shots showed Mendiola’s shot beat the clock. Overtime. In the extended period, La Salle prevailed, 49-47. MVP : Wilmer Payawal .

This ends a Glory day of PBAM Championship games.

Jake Maguigad
PBAM Adviser and CT Relations Officer

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