Team Buckets defeats Team OPAYI for LSAL Basketball championship

After a long and grueling season, the La Salle Athletic League (LSAL) Basketball Tournament concluded with a clash between Team Buckets from the white bracket and Team OPAYI from the green bracket. The former came out victorious, 74-69, in the late night game held at the ninth floor of the Enrique Razon Sports Center last Thursday, January 29.

Team Buckets rallied back from a 15-point deficit early in the game to win the championship, finishing as the only undefeated team in the Titan-sponsored cage fest.

LSAL Most Valuable Player Gabby Reyes, who suited up for the DLSU Green Archers in UAAP Season 75 and 76, together with DLSU Team B mainstay player Kiko Velhagen led the charge for Team Buckets, each scoring 24 points. Joel Dimayuga added 13 markers for the newly crowned champions.

Team OPAYI was paced by Calma’s 19 points followed by Sante with 18.

Team OPAYI took the lead early on, however, after they caught fire in the first quarter. They scored the first seven points of the match while doing most of their damage from beyond the arc, dropping seven three pointers. They led 21-6 after forward Ron Sante hit a three pointer, which gave them the biggest lead of the game. Angelo Calma of OPAYI had nine points in the opening quarter.

Velhagen of Team Buckets carried the offensive load for his team in the second quarter, scoring 14 points while doing most of his damage from the paint. They trimmed the lead down to three by the end of the first half, 40-37. Velhagen’s total for the quarter outscored OPAYI, after they held down their opponents to just 13 markers for the period.

The beginning of the second half was much more competitive, with both teams exchanging baskets and playing physical defense. However, it would be the boys from the Green Bracket coming out on top after outscoring their White counterparts, 17-13, to hold a seven point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

It was Team Buckets’ turn to wax hot in the last 10 minutes of the game. Gabby Reyes began the scoring with a putback followed by a Velhagen lay-up. Luis Concepcion then scored a three-pointer to tie the game at 57-all. Team OPAYI scored on a long distance shot but was halted afterwards by the opposing team’s swarming defense. Team Buckets had 20-4 run to grab a nine point lead with less than two minutes remaining.

Calma attempted to rally his team back into the game by scoring eight points in less than a minute. However, time was not enough as Team Buckets dribbled out the clock.

The Scores:
Buckets (74): Reyes 24, Velhagen 24, Dimayuga 13, Concepcion 7, Torres 6.
OPAYI (69): Calma 19, Sante 18, Ong 13, Que 8, Kok 4, Lee 3, Morano 3.

Quarter Scores: 27-15, 40-37, 50-57, 12-24