BOMBERS WIN VARSITY HOLIDAY HOOPS

By Jay Leon Guerrero and Robert Balajadia

One champion was crowned and one ‘IF’ game was forced in the Holiday Top Off Tournament in the recreational division Wednesday night with the recreational division set to conclude the tourney on New Years Eve.

Bombers Best Tooth Fairies For Title

The Dr Ha Tooth Fairies needed to get the Wednesday night win to force the ‘IF’ game against the Andersen Bombers in the Holiday Tip Off Varsity division, but the Bombers were in no mood to play on New Years Eve and held the Tooth Fairies to a season low 36 points to take the championship 64-36.

The Bombers stopped the fast breaks and forced the Tooth Fairies to tough shots to open the contest. Ollie Bradley and Brian Cooper broke down the zone Tooth Fairy defense to go up by a dozen points just 8 minutes into the contest.

Joe Blas was the only offensive player to get into some sort of flow in the game for the Tooth Fairies scoring 11 of the Tooth Fairies’ 18 points in the first half. The Bombers turned good defense into offense against the Fairies and built a 39-18 lead by halftime.

The Tooth Fairies attempted to mount a second half comeback but the deficit was too far to overcome. The Bombers managed the clock wisely and held on to a double digit to secure the championship.

Bradley had a good all-around game and was named the game’s MVP. Bradley and Toney Moses each scored 14 points, Cooper scored 16 points. Cooper was also named the league’s top defensive player.

Blas, the league’s scoring champion, had a game high 18 points for the Tooth Fairies.

Herbivores Grind Out Win Over Bandits

The Holiday Tipoff underdog Herbivores didn’t let the hot start from the Elegant Reflection Bandits take them off their game, forcing the ‘IF’ game 61-53.

The Bandits knocked down their first five three point attempts in the first half, but went cold hitting just 1-of-8 three point attempts in the games final seven minutes while the Herbivores dominated inside the paint.

Lance Gogue and Valiant Borja each had 15 points to lead the Herbivores, but Borja’s fadeaway three pointer at the shot clock buzzer to go up 53-47 in the final three minutes gave the Herbivores their largest lead and momentum.

Herbivores Lance Gogue drives to the bucket on a fast break. (photo by Robert Balajadia)

The Bandits then missed on four straight three point attempts to try and trim the lead, but the missed shots turned into fast break opportunities for the Herbivores that allowed them to pull away.

Bandit Jared Meno converted on an and-one to give them the largest lead 25-16 in the first half, but Gogue and the Herbivores chipped away by attacking the inside of the Bandit defense. Gogue converted on an and-one of his own and Borja converted on a fast break layup to trim the Bandit lead 31-29 at the half.

Both teams struggled in the second with only one basket being converted in the opening three minutes. Herbivore Johnny Borja made his presence felt by converting on two offensive put backs that broke two ties in the second half. Borja’s bucket with five minutes to go gave the Herbivores the definitive lead.