STRIKE Gymnasium, Cavite – A close and head to head match took to play as the Rizal Golden Coolers were defeated by the Bataan Risers last Saturday, September 17, 2022 at Bacoor Cavite, home of the Bacoor City Strikers. The Risers are on the rise from a series of losses from Pasig City, QC MG Cars, and a recent last one from the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. Just September 15, 2022, the Risers beat Batangas Embassy Chill and now do the same to the Rizal Golden Coolers. The Risers are just not taking the cold too lightly.

The Risers confidently faced the Golden coolers in this recent match. Starting the quarter with a good 9 point lead as Gio Alfred Espuelas makes a nice lay up for 2, casting the scores at 10 – 1 three minutes into the game.

Despite Bataan’s Ablaza being outscored by J. Gabawan as top scorer of the match, the game goes to Bataan. Ablaza and K. Torrado take the top scorer spot for their team with 13 points in the game, followed by G. Dela Torre with 11 points, G. Espuelas and E. Bondoc both with 9 points on the game’s end.

Cedrik Ablaza of the Golden Coolers gets the highest points in the game with 19, Ex PBA players J. Apinan and J. Baloria follow with 10 points and 9 points respectively. Also with 9 points in the game was J. Villanueva, and J. Gonzales with a decent 6 points.

Game stats are fairly edge to edge as well, with the Golden Coolers dominating the steals 5 – 9, game assists at 18 – 20.They also have an equal success on the free throw lane at 50%. Turn overs are at 15 – 15 from both ends, and fast break points 18 – 17 in still favor of Rizal Golden Coolers. Quite surprising that the Coolers lost this one, but it surely was a well fought match with close scores in each quarter and 4 points lead at the end of the game.

The Risers played a better three point play against the Coolers on this one as they scored 15% of all attempts as opposed to the 13% of the Coolers. L. Victoria contributed well to the Coolers 3 point counts, while K. Torrado kept the Risers lead safe with his perimeter shots.

It was an early lead for the Risers at about 4 minutes into the first quarter after a 2 -2 tie, J. Castro started the lead with an impressive 3 point shot and made it. The lead trails in the first quartet but due to very timely steals and turnovers, the lead was set at 4 points at the end of this one. The 1st quarter ends at 17 – 13 in favor of the Golden coolers.

The first half tends to show a toe to toe contest between Bataan and Rizal, L. Victoria proves to be effective at the perimeter and on the free throw line making 2 out of 2 of his throws 3:47 minutes before the first half ends. At that point the score was 26 – 19 and still in favor of Rizal. Just before the end of the 2^nd quarter and the 1^st half of this battle, Espuelas teams up with J. Sombero to shoot and rebound, with Sombero making the lay up for 2, closing the gap at 32 – 28, just 4 points behind. 

The second half starts with no more than just 2 points left on the Cooler’s lead. Rizal proves to be so formidable pushing back hard against the feisty Bataan Risers. Victoria is just a beast on the perimeter keeping the Risers at bay. But Bataan just does not know how to quit.

At 3:40 left on the 3^rd quarter, Rizal goes for a time out, L. Victoria out for a rest, with T. Mallillin and K. Caballero out too. E. Charcos goes in along with A. Capobres and B. Bienes.

Determined to close the gap and ultimately grab the win, A. Brigas does his best to make it count and scores a terrific driving lay up for 2 points. With 58 seconds in the 3^rd quarter, the lead finally goes to the Risers at 49 – 51. Not yet the end of the struggle as the Coolers take it back to end the quarter at 53 – 51. Still is a very close and very tight match at this point.

Last quarter efforts of R. Lastimosa taking the lead from tie with a lay up for 2. It would be pretty much toe to toe to the end with the lead juggling between the two fiercely contending parties – tied twice in the last quarter. Persistence pays off with Torre and Castro making sure the lead stays for the win. Last and final quarter score board is 65 – 69 with another win for the Batangas Risers.

Scores at the end of the match

Bataan Risers with 69 points

Rizal Golden Coolers with 65 points

Scores per Quarter

17 – 13, 32 – 30,  53 – 51, 65 – 69 game win for the Risers.