By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The selected Under-21 hoopers of team MBM Elite just put on a show to take Game 1 of the city-side finals against team MDC Tony’s Lechon, 90-81, in the ongoing On D’ Move (ODM) Sports League Capiz Inter-Town Discovery Cup last March 22, 2023.
In a pressure-packed Game 1 of the finals, the stacked MBM squad proved to be the better team down the stretch and fended off MDC’s huge run in the last five minutes of the ball game.
MBM ballooned their largest lead of the game at 15 points but the resilient team MDC was lights out in the second half, completing the comeback and trimmed their deficit to just a point with six minutes left in the game.
MDC’s JB Hervias stepped up to the challenge when his team needed a scoring lift and drained back-to-back three-pointers to recapture the momentum.
However, veteran guard John Fuentes fueled MBM’s clutch showing down the stretch and answered every MDC trey to weather the storm and avoid a 0-1 finals disadvantage.
Fuentes went insane in the fourth quarter and single-handedly put team MDC away after erupting for 12 points in a span of six minutes.
His stellar outing helped him clinch the Fitness Lockdown Best Player of the Game after dropping 12 big points, four assists, and three rebounds.
Aside from MBM’s scoring display in the fourth, their timely offensive rebounds also kept them in the game that slowed down the action.
MDC got a little groove in the third quarter when they deployed their signature full-court pressure defense but Fuentes’s heroics saved the day for team MBM which is only one win away from reaching the ultimate grand finals ticket against the town side challenger.
“Very intense game, kudos sa team MDC when they didn’t back down sa challenge when they trailed by double digits. Expect a more intense Game 2 between the two best city teams to be announced soon,” said Mr. Jeremiah Obera, founder and commissioner of ODM Sports League in an exclusive interview with the Daily Guardian.
