Charlemagne is impeccable at defense especially Managaytay, while Maaravi is struggling to score. Marquez is draining the mid-range shots time and time again. But then, the AC-130 is bringing the rain.
Maaravi Warriors 98:103 Charlemagne Pitbulls
5:03
4th Quarter
Coach Perez subs Mark and Justin in and, once again, whispers something to them.
“Understood?”
“Yes, coach,” is their reply.
Charlemagne inbounds the ball by the sideline. Mendoza inbounds the ball to Marquez, who uses the screen of Managaytay, at the top of the key. Marquez shoots and gets it in.
Maaravi Warriors 98:105 Charlemagne Pitbulls
5:00
4th Quarter
Justin handles the ball as he crosses the halfcourt. Justin dribbles the ball to the wing with Mark going ahead of him towards the corner. Manalo follows Mark, gliding to the corner. Justin passes to Mark and then passes immediately to Fajardo who uses the screen of Cesar to hinder Managaytay. Fajardo lays it up and Mangaytay tries to reach a denial but it’s too far off; instead, the ball goes in.
Maaravi Warriors 100:105 Charlemagne Pitbulls
5:50
4th Quarter
Mendoza handles the ball as he crosses halfcourt. He sees that Marquez’s and Villanueva’s passing lanes are being covered by their defenders. He passes the ball to Managaytay and the titan bodies Fajardo, who switched sides with Canillo by the command of Coach Perez, as he drives down the rim. Fajardo sags back the defense when Managaytay bodies him again. Managaytay loses balance and Fajardo scoops the ball from Managaytay.
Fajardo passes the ball to Justin, the furthest from them ahead, Justin sprints with the ball and lays it up. Sensing a defender behind, he switches the ball to his other hand and lays it up to the other side. And in goes the ball.
Maaravi Warriors 102:105 Charlemagne Pitbulls
4:30
4th Quarter
Mendoza crosses the halfcourt with the ball. Again, the passing lanes to Marquez and Villanueva are covered by Mark and Cesar. He passes the ball to Managaytay. Suddenly, Villanueva loses his man as he cuts towards the basket. Managaytay passes the ball to Villanueva. Villanueva lays it up, but Cesar is fast and agile. Cesar catches up to him and blocks it, bouncing the ball off the board.
Fajardo boxes out Managaytay and gets a rebound with his two bare hands. Fajardo passes the ball to Mark and sprints across the court. He pull-up-jump-shoots outside the three-point line and sinks it in.
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Maaravi Warriors 105:105 Charlemagne Pitbulls
4:11
4th Quarter
Charlemagne calls timeout.
Maaravi Warriors huddle to their coach as the players on the court sit down while others stand up.
“Owens, that’s a fantastic block. We need that defense.
“Mercado, you’re getting hot with the three. That’s good. Shoot the three every opportunity you get.
“Fajardo, fantastic defense. Keep Managaytay off that rim. Don’t give him dominance over you, pulls some tricks off your sleeves.
“Yes, coach,” is their reply.
The game commences again.
Mendoza handles the ball across the halfcourt and the battle begins once more.
Mendoza passes the ball to Managaytay at the top of the key. Marquez cuts towards Managaytay and uses the screen set by Manalo at the wing. He loses Mark and drives to the paint, but Cesar chases after him. As Cesar is gaining on him, Marquez suddenly kicks out the ball to Villanueva. Villanueva shoots the three.
As the ball arches down, the ball touches nothing but net.
Maaravi Warriors 105:108 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:56
4th Quarter
Justin crosses the halfcourt, and with him, the ball.
Justin goes to the wing and Mark goes to the corner ahead. Justin passes the ball to Mark with no defender in sight as Cesar gives a screen for him in the low post. Mark shoots the three, it hits the rim and in.
The noise grows loud at the Barba when Mark sinks the three.
“GO, MERCADO!!”
“CHEF MARK! CHEF MARK! CHEF MARK!”
“I LOVE YOU, MERCADO!!!”
Maaravi Warriors 108:108 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:47
4th Quarter
Mendoza handles the ball on their side of the court, passes the ball to Marquez, and cuts towards the rim as he uses the screen of Manalo. Justin goes around the screen when Marquez passes the ball to Mendoza. Justin reaches for the ball in the air but he doesn’t get it. Instead, Mendoza lays the ball up for the score.
Maaravi Warriors 108:110 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:37
4th Quarter
Justin handles the ball by the wing. He passes the ball to Mark who is also at the wing on the other side. Mark drives towards the rim, using the screen of Fajardo. Mangaytay goes up to him, helping the defense. He then passes the ball to Canillo underneath the basket, but Managaytay intercepts the ball.
Managaytay passes the ball to Villanueva who sprints in the fastbreak. Laying up the ball, Cesar hovers over him. Villanueva reverse-layups the ball but it did not go in.
So Cesar rebounds the ball and slowly dribbles the ball back to their side of the court while being wary of Villanueva trailing slightly behind him some distance away.
Cesar passes the ball to Justin to start over again the offense.
Mark and Justin are, again, at the wings. Justin passes the ball to Mark. Mark drives again towards the rim, using the screen of Fajardo. With Managaytay ahead of him, he stops and is about to shoot. Villanueva sees this and goes after him. In his shooting form, Mark notices Villanueva zeroing in towards him.
“Nice.”
Villanueva jumps but Mark doesn’t shoot. But instead, it’s a pump fake. Mark passes immediately the ball to Cesar who is at a mid-range distance to the rim. Cesar catches the ball and shoots. In goes the ball, nothing but net.
Maaravi Warriors 110:110 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:02
4th Quarter
Mendoza handles the ball on their side of the court. He then passes the ball to Marquez as he cuts around Manalo with his screen. But Justin catches up to him quick and covers the passing lane, in which Mendoza can’t have an open layup; instead, he cuts around Managaytay towards the outside. Manalo cuts to the hoop and Marquez passes him the ball. Manalo plows through the contact and lays it up but it doesn’t go in.
“Prrt! Foul!”
Manalo shoots the first free throw and it goes in. The second he misses and Fajardo rebounds the ball.
Maaravi Warriors 110:111 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:11
4th Quarter
Fajardo passes the ball to Justin as they all jog across the court. Charlemagne goes back to their posts as they employ 2-3 zone defense.
Justin dribbles the ball to his left and passes the ball to Cesar. Cesar pump fakes and Villanueva takes the bait. He goes past Villanueva and shoots a midrange shot. And it's good.
Maaravi Warriors 112:111 Charlemagne Pitbulls
3:03
4th Quarter
Charlemagne timeouts.
The Maaravi players huddle around their coach with the players on the court sitting down on the bench.
“These are the final minutes of the game. Tighten the defense, especially against Managaytay. Avoid turnovers, that’s the last thing we could do. Make sure your passes are clean, don’t pass if the passing lane is covered. Understood, men?”
“Yes, coach,” is their reply.