KABAYAN, Benguet – Two “locals” provided the fireworks at the knees of the highest mountain in Northern Luzon and lead their respective teams to blowout wins Tuesday at the Barrio Kabayan here in the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup.
Kyle Aldich Naisod torched the opposition from deep connecting 11 of his shots for a record setting 39 big markers enroute to Kabayan’s mauling of the visiting Atok, 104-81, in the opener of the double header.
Then an hour or so later, Rey Gabino doused cold water on a visiting Mankayan side as he topped Naisod’s tally with a new tournament best 45 points as Bokod routed the northerners 107-73.
Naisod came early, 2PM, to practice on his shooting which he said was key to him going supernova in the second quarter where he made five from beyond the arc for a 22 of the team’s 27 point effort.
On top of that he made eight boards, seven dimes and three steals.
“I guess coming here to practice really paid off,” said the soft spoken AB Political Science graduate from the Saint Louis University where he played basketball for his school, the School of Teaching, Education and Liberal Arts.
“I just wanted to finish my schooling on time so I did not try out for the varsity,” who graduated this year, who leads the league with a 28 point per game average.
Pat Merino added 21 points and Teofilo Albert chipped in 10 markers, eight of which came in the first canto to give Kabayan a 24-16 lead.
Adopted son Gabino on the other hand, scored in double digit in almost all quarters but on the second when Mankayan threatened to cut the lead to nine, before Bokod made it a 60-49 halftime affair.
The former Cordillera Career Development College player Gabino, a fireman assigned in Kabayan but still a Bokod resident, made 16 on the first quarter as he joined former University of the Cordilleras point guard John Rick Buenavista, who added 12, as Bokod surged to a 41-20 lead.
But Mankayan put up a late second quarter charge as the miners from the north made it a nine point Bokod lead.
But the fireman he is, literally, Gabino poured water on any Mankayan resistant in the third canto where he poured 12 of the team’s 22 point production as Bokod made it a 22 point advantage, 82 60, as the Kabayan crowd cheered him as if their very own.
Despite sitting down with less than five minutes remaining, Gabino chipped in 11 markers in the team’s closing 25 points while making eight boards, seen assists and two steals.
Jovencio Caleno made a double double, 10 points and 11 rebounds on top of seven assists and two steals, while the younger Buenaventura added 16 points, aside from six assists and three steals. Shane Balnges also made a double double – 12 points and 11 boards aside from eight assists and two steals as Bokod moved to a perfect 4-0 win-loss card, to stay behind La Trinidad at 5-0.
Last weekend, Sablan finally broke into the win column by beating Kabayan, 95-79. Michael Panagan and Jeremiah Buslay carried local pride as they both scored 17 points.
Albert led Kabayan with 17 markers, while Naisod was limited to a measly 13.
Seven players scored in double digit as La Trinidad 2 cruised to its third win by beating Mankayan 110-75. Jasper Miguel led Trinidad’s B team with 19, big man Bryan Estepa scored 18, while Justin Eithan Tan and Lloyd Calma chipped in 17 markers.
Mark Jaypee Reyes contributed 14, while point guard Oshwald Matias and Joseph Banto chipped in 10 a piece with the latter adding 12 boards for a double-double.
Teener Jamil Sultan led four other La Trinidad 1 players with double figure scores with 25 as the team totally outclassed Bakun, 125-68. Long range hitter Jason Alvaran (20), Elton Tayab (19), John Russel Tuazon (17) and Jan Franco Fianza (10) contributed for Trindad 1’s 4-0 campaign on a day big man Armando Pollante was absent.
Tublay marked its first win with a close 82-78 victory over the hard fighting Kibungan in the closing game last Saturday.
Last Sunday in Itogon, after so so performances in the last two games, Aaron Nang-is was back to his old self as he earned his second best player of the game with 24-2-2-3 performance as Trinidad B pulled a 94-60 victory over the overmatched but fighting Buguias which was led by Jan Earl Agayao who connected seven of his long range shots enroute to 27 points.
John Rick Buenaventura earned his second best player of the game honor as he made 16 points to lead Bokod to a 87-68 victory over Atok.
Itogon survived four of its players disqualification as it hammered Mankayan 97-83 in the “Mine War”. Jan Maancio and Omer Baluch added 11, 11 and 10, in that order.
Mankayan, who lost three players through disqualification including the first suspension of a team member, was led by big man Jay Rey Elefante with 13. It was also a day when two players from the northern mining town suffered cuts with Jonathan Peralta suffered from friendly fire when he was hit on his face by the ball dished by Ernie Ringor that caused a cut an inch below his right eye.
Later, Felix Balais, Jr. suffered a cut just above his left lip from an elbow of the driving Caballero. Balais bled profusely until medics took hm out of the court where first aid was applied that stopped the game of the very delayed encounter after the ring of the host team’s court was replaced.
Former CCDC big man and later coach Fenrie Atinyao chalked 17 markers to lead Kapangan past Sablan, 91-82, for its first victory.
La Trinidad I sent a young Amiel Gacula-less Tuba squad to school with a methodical 103-85 beating. It was the fifth win of the Alvaran led squad in as many games to lead the Yap-initiated tournament for the 13 towns.
Alvaran tied the then tournament high of 32 points and high triples of 10 to lead the Valley’s first team, while Armando Pollante added 27 points on top of 12 boards. Pigeon Lobien