Team W keeps hopes alive

There is no title sweep in the Wizards Basketball Club (WBC) tournament.

Team W made sure about it.

Eni Lumague scored 20 of his team-high 24 points in the second half and Team W used a strong defense to beat Team R, 123-119, in Game 2 of their best-of-three title showdown at the Knights of Columbus gym in Intramuros, Manila.

It was the first victory of Team W in four matches against Team R, which swept both their two games in the eliminations (125-122 and 131-113) and the opener of the title series (122-116) last January 29.

With the win, Team W forced a third and deciding Game 3 today, February 12.

Lumague struck hardest in the third period with 14 points, including back-to-back three-point shots that enable Team W to keep Team R at bay.

But it was the rock-solid defense of Rey Sandoval, Mike Rebanal and Charlie Guhit which keyed the victory.

Sandoval and Guhit put the clamps on Team R ace gunner Datdat Espinosa, who was limited to only 31 points.

Espinosa averaged 45.6 points a game in Team R’s three victories over Team W.

Joel Lim, another prolific Team R scorer, was held to only 12 points due to limited Actually, Team W waxed hot early in the game and raced to several double-digit leads behind the hot shooting of Guhit and Mark Sing.

But Team R slowly but surely battled its way back to snatch a one-point lead, 57-56, at halftime of the event sponsored by Zucchero Cafe-Intramuros.

It was close from there with the lead changing hands to the delight of a big crowd that included WBC president Freddie Mozo, People’s Tonight sports editor Ed Andaya and PBA legend Joy Dionisio.

Lumague took over from there.

Uy supported Lumague with 17 points, Sing had 16, Rebanal had 15 and Guhit had 12.

Nelson Galang added 20 points and Mike de Castro contributed 19 for Team R.

THE SCORES: Team W (123) –Lumague 24, Uy 17, Sing 16, Rebanal 15, Guhit 12, Caputolan 11, Vizcarra 10, Zeke 9, Sandoval 6, Yambao 3. • Team R (119)–Espinosa 31, Galang 20, De Castro 19, Guevarra 17, Lim 12, Tijam 6, Mendiola 6, Vizcarra 5, Adan 3, Bagro 0. • Quarterscores: 33-23, 56-57, 90-84, 123-119.