2011 Inter-Municipalities Basketball Cup
Kalibo outrun Balete, 73-67
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

Games today
East – Balete, Aklan
2 PM Madalag vs Libacao
4 PM Altavas vs Balete

West – Lezo, Aklan
1 PM Malinao vs Malay
230 PM Tangalan vs Numancia
4 PM Lezo vs Makato

KALIBO, Aklan- Kalibo team turned to Jaymar Marte in the final period to snare a 73-67 victory over Balete in the lone opening game of the 2011 Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez Inter-Municipalities Basketball Cup yesterday morning at ABL Sports Complex.
Leading 68-67 with 1:28 remaining, Marte scored four points of his 11 points, behind a pair of free throws and an offensive rebound for a put-back, to help notch Kalibo its first victory.
In the opening quarter, guard Mark Deza came out strong in the first four minutes with five straight points to build a 7-0 lead. Forward Ace Aceras, center Dowald Delfin and forward Remar Ticar also led the first quarter-surge for Kalibo, building an 18-5 cushion.

In the second quarter, guard Jeselle Navejas nailed a running midcourt shot at buzzer to gave a 37-22 halftime edge for Kalibo.
Balete used a 30-21 third quarter run with forwards Kit Felizardo and John Rell Prado combining for 18 points behind their four three-point shots while guard Jay Oro contributed eight points to close the gap, 58-52.
Glenn Tenazas hit seven points and Prado added four points in the 13-10 run of Balete to cut the lead of Kalibo, 68-65, with 3:10 remaining in the game.

Deza came away with 15 points, Marte contributed 11 while teammates Ticar, Aceras and Navejas each scored 10 points for Kalibo.

Felizardo paced the Balete team with 15 points, Prado had 12 points and Cuadrante and Tenazas scored 10 points each, who fought back from an early 15-point deficit behind a strong first quarter offense of Kalibo.

Overall, Balete scored three more 3-pointers than Kalibo with Felizardo hitting three from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Governor Marquez formally opened this year’s edition of Inter-Municipalities Basketball Cup with 15 teams out of 17 municipalities joining the summer basketball tournament.

In today’s game, Madalag meets Libacao at 2 p.m. and host Balete battles Altavas at 4 p.m. In the Western side, Malinao faces Malay at 1 p.m. while Tangalan and Numancia face each other at 2:30 p.m. Lezo and Makato clash at 4 p.m.

The scores:

KALIBO 73 – Deza 15, Marte 11, Ticar 10, Aceras 10, Navejas 10, Delfin 7, Villaruel 6, Tortuya 4, Escalona 0

BALETE 67 – Felizardo 15, Prado 12, Cuadrante 10, Tenazas 10, Oro 8, Gallardes 6, Ambrocio 4, Malilay 2, Salabante 0

Quarters: 18-5, 37-22, 58-52, 73-67