521 Trading zeroes in on Vantage title
521 Trading Inc. leaned on Clint Salvoro Escamis to bring down JPC Gas Station, 71-67, and gain the headstart in their best-of-three finals in the 2023 Vantage Basketball Invitational Tournament at the Imelda Cultural Center in Batac City Ilocos Norte.
Escamis scored 23 points on a wide array of shots despite JPC’s double teaming defense to power 521 Trading to another victory in this tournament organized by Ronald Yapo’s Vantage Hog Feeds in cooperation of the City of Batac, headed by Mayor Albert D. Chua.
Handled personally by businessman- sportsman Teddy Javines amd brothers McJason and Monzour, 521 Trading needs only to beat JPC Gas in game two to capture the title.
Jose Paolo Hernandez added 12 points while Warren Bonifacion, Toby Bryan Agustin and Mark Cyrus Cuenco contributed eight point apiece for 521 Trading.
Jopet Soriano, Jomer Mercado and Resty Fornis provided the defensive muscle for 521 Trading in the final quarter.
Rendell Fabro and Mark Christian Meneses carried the fight for JPC of coach Jojo De Jesus, manager Obrein Lagadan and team owner Jonas Cajigal with 24 and 17 points, respectively.
It was 521 Trading’s eighth straight win in the tournament after sweeping four games in the elimination round against Arianna’s Place, 93-82, Purewell Artesian Water 83-73, RQC, 108-80, and NXT LVL 103-71 and defeating Shawin Konstrack, 104-97, in quarterfinal.
521, which is also being supported by IGWT-Jav Construction, Two Sisters Bakery and 521 Gun Shop, then defeated Purewell twice in the semifinals 101-82 and 92-87, for their sixth and seventh wins.
Assisting Javines are coaches Gilbert Isla, Eric Lucero, Louie Leyva, Noel Rosario, Eliseo Fernandez, Dember DelaSerna and Marcus Angelo Agtani and team managers Dayne Paranes and Nelson Isla.
Purewell Artesian Purified Water clinched third place while Ariannas Place finished fourth place. AA
