By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
THE JB Amateur Basketball League had its first road tour of the season, with fans storming the Pavia gym in Iloilo.
The league featured a triple-header showdown and did not disappoint the fans despite the heavy rain.
In the first game, the Hiyang Filinvest squad grabbed their first victory of the season, 66-57, against a young and rolling OJNA/IYB Mobile Bar Crocodiles team.
In dire need of a win to avoid a 0-3 start, Filinvest leaned on the big-time performances from Rady Hermanos and Ralph Jay Enojado.
Despite the absence of their head coach and gunner Paul Matta, the Crocs still fought and kept themselves within striking distance.
In the second game, JKG/CTG Commercial also notched their first win of the season after taking down ODM Sportswear, 85-82.
The game went into a slugfest as both teams traded firepower, as Mark Hermano tried to put the team behind his back with key guys missing.
An eight-point swing courtesy of Rush Rubin, Kins Go, and Inno Miclat then forced the game to overtime.
Rey Panase of JKG then took over in the OT period and sealed the victory for his team.
The last game featured a nail-biting victory for the powerhouse Uniwheels Cars Display against a tough Malditos/Liege Motor parts squad, 72-59.
It was the first time Uniwheels had a tightly contested win, but their experience and cohesion proved to be the answer, making shots and stops when it mattered the most.
Felino Arenal once again waxed in hot the entire game, winning another best player of the game award with 16 huge points and two dimes.
