GAA bags BAR cage championship

CEBU, Philippines - The Lai Garden-sponsored MODS-GAA selection of team owner Dr. Boy Te egded out JMA, 84-81, to win the championship of the Basketball Association of Ramos (BAR) 3rd Conference billed as “Joy Young Cup” last Thursday night at the Cogon-Ramos Sports Complex.

The GAA stalwarts trailed by 14 points, 15-29, midway in the second period, but put their acts together in the third period where they staged a furious rally that caught JMA flat-footed.

The game even went physical when GAA’s Joselito Ocampo and JMA’s Dodong Abarintos tried to outmuscle each other at the paint which nearly resulted into a fistfight.

Ocampo, Inting Reyes and ex-SWU Cobra star Rey Potot mastermined that tide-turning run for GAA.

Potot, who scored GAA’s final six points, finished with 34 points spiked with two triples. He tied the count at 78-all with 1:45 left to play and then hit four free throws to give GAA an 82-78 breather that turned out to be the turning point of their come-from-behind victory.

Bagtong Minoza chipped in 16 points and three blocks for GAA, while Reyes, who was transformed to pointguard from a natural shooting guard in the absence of Allan Ricana, finished with 11 points identical with Ocampo.

Former UC standout Julius Gastador topped JMA with 26 points, while Ronnie Ruiz added 15 markers in a losing effort.

Earlier, the second-seed AMBL led by Dindo Sauza scored a 106-102 upset of the Jimbo Noel-led JRJV to lift the third place honors.   (GGM)   (FREEMAN NEWS)