AXE Proa missed the century mark, but still pounded defending champion Mobil, 99-83, in the second game in the Lodge No. 179 Brotherhood Basketball League 2013/Docomo Pacific Cup last Saturday night at at he Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

What was expected as a neck-and-neck game turned into a one-sided one, as AXE Proa got off to a jackrabbit start, while Mobil showed up with a depleted roster and was held to one field goal in almost the first eight minutes of play. Freddie Pelisamen put Mobil in the board in the opening minutes of the first period and his team went on a slump until Errol Peredo made a layup at the 2:12 mark of that canto.

With Mobil held to a basket, AXE Proa raced to a 17-2 lead and coach Rufino Aguon had the luxury of fielding his second stringers midway in the first period. The second unit composed of CNMI Junior National players Jack Aranda, Jimmy Tudela, Bryl Alegre, Ichitaro Faisao, and Erick Dela Rosa then gave AXE Proa quality minutes, as they stretched the lead to 20 at the end of that canto, 30-10. Aranda finished with 7 points in the first period.

Aguon used the same combination in the next three quarters and Mobil, which had only six players, simply could not keep up with AXE Proa’s rotation and fell behind by as much as 34 points in the second period.

The starters were back for Proa in the second canto with Keoni Chariton and Gino Libuw making 5 early points apiece to keep the big lead. The rest of AXE Proa’s points were evenly distributed, while Mobil leaned heavily on Pelisamen and Jun Estolas. With this contrasting offensive ploy, AXE Proa went up by 30 at the break, 59-29.

It was the second unit’s turn to kick off the second half and Aranda and Alegre made the most out of it as former dropped two triples and latter scored 6 off short jumpers to help AXE Proa keep the double-digit advantage, 74-53, entering the final canto.

AXE Proa’s lead returned to more than 20 points and it would have easily passed the century mark if it decided not to slow down in the last three minutes of the fourth canto. With AXE Proa letting its guard down, Mobil managed to cut the deficit to a decent number, but still fell to a 1-1 slate, while the former took the early lead in the nine-team field with its 2-0 record.

Chariton paced Proa with his 14 points, while Aranda added 13, and Dan Barcinas and Quincy Johnson chipped in 12 and 11, respectively. Five other AXE Proa players scored at least 6 points apiece. Pelisamen led Proa with his 31 markers.

Meanwhile, action in the Emon Lodge caging resumes tonight with Armatech (1-0) taking on KFC/Taco Bell (1-0) in the first game at 6:30pm and San Roque (0-1) meeting Pacific Islands Club (0-1) in the second match at 8pm.

AXE Pro 99 — Chariton 14, Aranda 13, Barcinas 12, Johnson 11, Libuw 9, Lizama 8, Alegre 8, Villacrusis 7, Faisao 6, Tudela 4, Dela Rosa 3, Babauta 2.

Mobil 83 — Pelsamen 31, Estolas 21, Peredo 12, Babauta 12, Camacho 2.

Scoring by quarters: 30-10, 59-29, 74-53, 99-83.