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| Red Pikes cagers during a defense against the MTC Titans during the opening game of the 5th Season of ISAA, July 31. Photo by Lance Ferrer |
Red Pikes’ buzzer beater tears MTC Titans , 69-66
by Julie Anne Zamuco
St. Dominic College of Asia Red Pikes clashed with their rival team Manila Tytana Colleges Titans with the final score of 69-66. Red Pikes’ Cherwin Lao made a three-point buzzer beater in the last 9.3 seconds to win the 1st game in the Opening of the 5th Season of the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Association, July 31.
With thousands of crowd in attendance, the Red Pikes won again for the third consecutive years of playing in the opening match against the Titans. In the first quarter, the Green Titans dominated the plays. Both teams were giving hard fouls and physical game arose early but the Titan ended it with 23-19 score.
At the second quarter, the Red Pikes gave high flying lay-ups to ease the tension and ended it with a tied score of 32 in the 3 min 29 sec in time and Red Pikes’ Player No.8 Frani poured amazing baskets to end the quarter with a 36-35 score.
During the third quarter, the Titans boost again their full potentials to push a 48-46 score, in favor with them. But in the last quarter of the game, SDCA Red Pikes’ Comandante, Frani, and Mopia were the leaders, coming up with the biggest lead of the game. But the Titans didn’t stop working and so they shot three point and lay-ups, trying the game with 57, 3 min 11 sec in the clock.
In the last two minutes of the game, MTC’s Alcantara created a rainbow country shot, resulting to a one-point lead of the Titans which brought the crowd on their feet, cheering for their supported team.
But the intensifying game didn’t stop there when the SDCA brought back the lead in the last minutes of the game. The challenge became so hard when once again another deadlock ensued in the 9.3 seconds that tied up with 66 all.
The winning 3 point shot of Lao broke the intensifying and heart-pounding game when he delivered the buzzer-beater, ending the game with a 69-66 final score in favor of the Dominican Red Pikes which started this season with a 1-0 standing.
“Masarap syempre, sobrang sarap nung na-shoot ko yung [bola]. Hindi ako kinabahan kasi kapit lang ako sa galing nung mga teammates ko. Tapos magpeprepare pa ng maigi para mas lalo pa naming mabawasan ung mga mali namin [at saka] maimprove pa yung laro namin,” Lao said.
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| Red Pikes captain ball Jerrick Mopia during the game. Photo by Lance Ferrer |
