By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Team Phat Ass drew first blood on MBM Construction, 103-73, in Game 1 of the On D’ Move (ODM) Monster Division grand finals last December 14, 2022 held at the Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center.
After 36 action-packed games, Roxas City’s biggest basketball league finally reached the last phase. However, in an expected nip-and-tuck affair between the two best teams of the tournament, the mayhem offense of team Phat Ass overwhelmed MBM Construction in the first game of their best-of-three championship series.
MBM was still in the zone in the first half after their efficient three-point shooting answered every Phat Ass basket.
Every time John Ondevilla drilled a basket, MBM’s Erwilson Santos and former MPBL player John Rey Villanueva kept their team afloat and spearheaded a huge 8-0 run.
Both teams figured in a mano-a-mano show after treating the crowd with dazzling deuces but it was Phat Ass that captured the momentum just when the half was about to close.
It was an unfortunate turn of events at the start of the second half for team MBM after a cold-shooting stretch which was capitalized by Phat Ass.
What was once a single-digit lead suddenly grew to 20 points after Ondevilla went unconscious from downtown.
The quick and slick guard waxed hot from downtown and buried three-straight treys that kicked off Phat Ass’ offensive snowball in the last five minutes of the third canto.
Team MBM did some minor adjustments during the start of the fourth quarter and shuffled their backcourt rotation.
However, those changes were still not effective as the duo of Charles Pepito and Ondevilla sent the early exclamation point by bullying the MBM perimeter defense.
Ondevilla won the Best Player of the Game honors after dropping 28 points, six assists, and five rebounds and is looking to continue his hot streak in Game 2 today, 1 PM.
