By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Team Selecta and the LTC Fruits and Vegetable squad ended their respective scheduled games with convincing wins during the 2022 Iloilo City Basketball Club (ICBC) annual basketball tournament second conference.
Selecta survived an early onslaught from team Alvin’s Fitness Center, 88-80, while team LTC dominated Bacfire, 104-90.
It was team Alvin’s who imposed their will early in the dogfight as gunner Ken Deniega started the ball game waxing hot.
However, Selecta had an answer to Deniega’s early explosion after Edcel Silarde responded with a series of perimeter jump shots that helped restore order on their side.
Selecta then rode to their momentum and led by as much as 14 points but another Alvin’s run trimmed their deficit to just five points after a Gerrod Villaruz triple.
With another stop earned by Alvin’s, the men in green had a chance to trim the lead to three or two points but Joshua Mana-ay missed a three-pointer that could’ve kept them within favorable striking distance.
Selecta then sealed the deal and got away with the win after piling up the points off several fast break opportunities.
During the second game, Rod Tohoy’s 50-point game steered the LTC squad to a huge victory over team Bacfire.
The high-flying Tohoy was unstoppable during the game and drove to the basket at will while also fishing for fouls that helped team LTC claw back from a 10-point deficit in the last quarter.
Tohoy was backstopped by the offensive production of Orville Ariete who dropped 15 points during the game.
Meanwhile, for the backfire squad, Kris Noel Adricula recorded a team-high 27 points while Salvadore Japitana had 24 points.
