KB Market pulled off a nail-biting 87-86 win over Mobil/JP World last Tuesday night at the Gillete Multipurpose Gymnasium to catch the last bus en route to the semifinal round of the 2013 UFO-Budweiser Open Division Basketball League.

KB Market made a couple of defensive stops in the final two minutes of the back-and-forth match and drew clutch baskets from Darwin Barbo and Brendon Talania to nose out Mobil in the battle for the fourth and last semis berth.

Mobil absorbed the heart-breaking loss despite leading by 3 points, 86-83, in the last 1:23 of the game off Gyles Ruluked’s and-1 play. Ruluked broke the last deadlock of the match when he received a drop pass from Jun Estolas from the 15-foot line and drew a foul from Darwin Barbo underneath the basket.

Down by 3, Pando Muleta tried to retaliate quickly, but faced two Mobil defenders when he made a spin move toward the basket and was forced to throw an errant pass, which Freddie Pelisamen intercepted. Fortunately for KB Market, Muleta redeemed himself from the booboo when he telegraphed an entry pass to Pelisamen in the ensuing play, paving the way for the team’s fastbreak play. Ivan Devero went for the fastbreak layup, but missed. However, KB Market was lucky anew, as Barbo plucked the offensive board and drew a foul on Jorge De Guzman on his way for a putback. Barbo calmly sank both crucial charities, moving KB Market within a point, 52.7 seconds left on the clock.

With a shaky lead, Mobil went to its main man, Estolas, who drove from the right baseline, but decided to kick the ball out as KB Market defenders shut the door on him. Again, KB Market intercepted the feed with Devero picking up the ball and throwing an outlet past to Talania, who was way ahead of everybody and drilled the go-ahead basket, 87-86, with 27.4 seconds remaining in the game.

Mobil sued for time and when the game resumed, the ball went to Estolas anew with the veteran guard this time scanning the floor first from the left key with Devero and Leo Galarse guarding him. Estolas then started his move, dribbling to his right before spinning to his left, but Galarse was there to pick his pocket, tapping the ball, which Devero eventually picked up.

Devero ran to their front court and dribbled out some time before getting the ball over to Junar Guiab, who was finally fouled by Mobil with 7.6 seconds left on the clock. Guiab muffed both free throws, keeping Mobil’s hopes alive, as coach Marvin Deocares’ wards also got the possession back with Barbo touching the ball last after Guaib’s second miss.

Mobil called a timeout anew for its final offensive set that started with Errol Peredo making the inbound and passing the leather to Estolas, who again was stopped by Devero and Galarse on his way to the left baseline. Estolas was forced to return the ball to Peredo, who pulled up for a triple and missed. After the muffed shot, KB Market thought the game was over and forgot to box out Ruluked, who got the offensive board and pulled up for a turnaround jumper from the baseline. The shot hit the right side of the rim and seemed to be bouncing back to the basket, but Ruluked did not get the lucky bounce, giving KB Market players a sigh of relief.

Mobil was ousted despite taking a promising 23-10 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Bart Demapan and Peredo teamed up in Mobil’s good start with the latter firing 11 points and the former adding 8. However, Peredo and Demapan saw limited minutes in the second half where the match became a seesaw battle, as KB Market drew help from Devero, Muleta, and Galarse to get back into the game.

Muleta top-scored for KB Market with his 17 points, while Galarse and Devero chipped in 15 and 14, respectively, to make up for the absence of Elmer Esdrelon. Esdrelon sat out the opening minutes of the second canto due to an injury after scoring only 2 points. Demapan led Mobil’s losing cause, drilling 16 points, but was held to only one field goal in the second half. Peredo finished with 14 and also had only one basket in the final 20 minutes of play.

Meanwhile, the semifinal round will be played today with KB Market challenging the undefeated and top-ranked AXE Proa in the second Final Four match at 8pm after the semis tussle between I Love Ladder Beach and the Hoopaholics at 6:30pm.

KB Market 87 – Muleta 17, Galarse 15, Devero 14, Talania 12, Barbo 11, Guiab 7, De Dios 4, Berline 3, Esdrelon 2, Aquino 2.
Mobil/JP World 86 – Demapan 16, Estolas 16, Peredo 14, Pelisamen 12, Ruluked 11, De Guzman 10, Kaipat 3, Gamboa 2, Olaitiman 2.
Scoring by quarters: 10-23, 36-39, 63-65, 87-86.