Safeway 1 survived a heart-pounding 4th quarter for a two-point victory over office rivals Safeway 2, 64-62. Safeway 1’s Lectura led Safeway’s offense with 19 points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter. Safeway 2’s Garcia and Hernandez carried their team’s scoring load chipping in 19 points and 14 points respectively.

The game saw how evenly matched these teams are with both teams having runs of their own throughout the ballgame. Spectators attribute the game’s exciting wind up with the players’ familiarity over their opponents. In the end, the game’s outcome was decided by the discrepancy in free throw shooting with Safeway 1 shooting 10 out of 14 free throw shots while Safeway 2 only converting 11 out of 23 attempts from the charity stripe.

Safeway 2 led by as much as 10 markers in the first quarter with solid plays from their speedy backcourt and transition offense. Arevalo of Safeway 1 kept his team close until Safeway 1 found its grove by the end of the 1st quarter closing it with an 11-5 run. Safeway 2 again asserted its offense to lead in the second quarter by as much as 14 points thanks to the hot perimeter shooting of Elciario and Olan. Safeway 1 then buckled down on defense to keep the game close to end the second quarter with only a one point deficit.

Ilagan of Safeway 1 scored nine of his 14 points in the third quarter to give Safeway 1 its first taste of the lead. Safeway’s biggest lead in the

third quarter stood with the score of 46-41. In the fourth quarter, Safeway 2’s Garcia, Basa, and Hernandez made a rally to keep the game close. Safeway 2 almost had the game if not for their 12 failed free-throws in

the last quarter.

Safeway 1 – Lectura-19, Ilagan-14, Arevalo-11, Bautista-7, Galme-7, Diaz-4, Martin-1,

Pagkalinawan-1, DeVera-0, Durante-0, Grau-0, Sison-0

Safeway 2 – Garcia-19, Hernandez-14, Basa-9, Elciario-6, Olan-6, Ty-4, Clemeno-2, Dy-2, Policarpio-0, Quito-0, Tongson-0

Quarters: 1st (15-19), 2nd (28-29), 3rd (46-41), 4th (64-62)