Basketball
BOG BEAT TYPHOONS AT BUZZER
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By Robert Balajadia
Bank of Guam’s Calen Balajadia flew in to make two points over Typhoons’ Allan Chang. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Bank of Guam’s (BOG) Jerico Ofeciar had the hot hand early, which is why his team turned to him in the final seconds of the game trailing 48-46.
Ofeciar drove to the basket as the final five seconds ticked away and tried to attack the rim, but was stripped and went tumbling to the floor as the ball bounced into the hands of teammate James Cruz, who let the three pointer fly as the final buzzer sounded. The dramatic toilet-bowl swirl around the rim had both teams staring at the rim until the ball wrapped around the net to give the Bank of Guam the 49-48 win. Ofeciar led Bank in scoring with 15 points.
“I give it up to the Typhoons, they are deadly inside and out. We knew they were going to make a run and we just needed to weather the storm (no pun intended),” stated Ofeciar. “I actually thought I was fouled on that last play but I’m so glad that the ball landed in [Cruz] hands for the final shot.”
The Golden Hoops Classic opened up their 30+ division with the Typhoons vs the Bank of Guam with the Typhoons heading into the season as the three time defending champions.
McDonald’s Play of the Game Bank of Guam’s Jerico Ofeciar.
BOG had the hot hand in the early going with Ofeciar going 3-3 from beyond the arc. The Typhoons went into a shooting slump halfway through the first half, allowing BOG to go on a 16-2 run that gave them the 33-19 half-time lead.
In response to being the leading scorer, Ofeciar does not expect the offense to go through him. “We never know who is going to show up in the games, but whomever has the hot hand, we keep feeding them.”
The Typhoons responded in the second half as Darrick Bollinger entered the game for the first time. Bollinger hit a three pointer and a layup that cut the lead to single digits, 36-27. The Typhoons then rallied behind Bollinger’s strong play cutting the lead to a single possession but still trailing at 42-40.
Typhoons’ Francis Sunga tied the game at 42 with a layup, then hit a 3-pointer a possession later to take their first lead of the second half 43-42.
The score was tied at 46 heading into the final minute of the game when the Typhoons gave the ball to Richard Barcinas who found a wide open Bollinger under the basket for the easy layup, giving them the 48-46.
Ofeciar then took it to the basket before the ball bounced into the hands of Cruz, who was in the same spot Ray Allen was that saved the Miami Heat in these past NBA playoffs. This situation, though, there was no overtime, or a championship on the line for that matter.
PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:
Bank of Guam’s Jerico Ofeciar shot the three pointer completely open. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Typhoons’ Francis Sunga was unable to break through Bank of Guam’s Mike Atogue and William Valensia defense. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Typhoons’ Joel Punzaian went for a lay-up over Bank of Guam’s Jerico Ofeciar. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Bank of Guam’s Timothy Aguilar snuck in to make the block as Typhoons’ Darrick Bollinger looked to make the two point shot. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Bank of Guam’s Timothy Aguilar was unable to make the shot with Typhoons’ Francis Sunga blocking. (photo by Jesse Castro)
Typhoons’ Francis Sunga went up strong to make two points. (photo by Jesse Castro)
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