C.U.L.’s top scorer, Jeff Bagarao, saves the ball from going out of bounds before Justice’s Mike Gogue could make a play on the ball. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
Team Cost-U-Less shot the lights out against team Justice II in their first games of the 2012 Shirley Invitational basketball tournament. Team Cost-U-Less maintained their lead early in the first half and never looked back, eventually taking the 63-49 win.
Led by a balanced performance from Jeff Bagarao, Cost-U-Less used their speed and agility to outhustle the taller team Justice II.
Opening the second half, Cost-U-Less picked up where they left off, coming in with the same amount of aggression as they did in the first.
Three minutes in to the half Cost-U-Less’ Ryan Acovera dropped his second three-pointer of the game to spark a 12-0 run, putting them up 39-22. Justice’s Mike Gogue put up a three of his own to end the run and at the same time, igniting an 8-0 run with a trey by Albert Caldeo and a layup by Jason Muna, bringing the score within a nine-point deficit.
Cost-U-Less rained down on team Justice with six three-pointers in the second half that allowed them to reopen the gap. Not only did they dominate behind the arc, but did so in the paint as well. Numerous layups by Bong Guanzon, who used his height and leaping abilities to make hard drives to the basket, contributed to the 14-point win over Justice II.
Bagarao led all scorers with 20 points, while Joey Gogue and Muna scored 15 apiece in the losing effort.