Nadec stops Kudu 76-73 to level title series

There will be no 10-game title sweep for Mostafa Hamadeh’s Kudu boys.
Installed as the team to beat after topping the eliminations and the semifinals, Kudu opened the best-of-three series championship with an emphatic 85-69 victory over Nadec in the 2nd Inter-Company Non-Rated Basketball tournament here at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers rubberized court.
In the second game of the series, Nadec team coached by Ronaldo Jocson entered the court with oozing firepower and played outstanding basketball during the contest marked by 13 deadlocks to hand Kudu its first defeat in the dying seconds.
Nadec boys anchored by Raymond Acosta with Jayrold Clavera at the center, Joel Tarin, Kim Tiong, Jay dela Pena took the first quarter 21-18. They were overtaken in the second quarter by Kudu 40-36 and had a hairline lead 56-55 in the third quarter.
It was a see-saw battle as the thrilling crowd witnessed the exchange of baskets with stiff man-to-man defense and offense by both teams. Kudu was nursing a 70-65 lead in the last 2 minutes when Raymond Acosta intercepted a Kudu pass and fed the ball to Joel Tarin for two points that ignited a wild finish.
Acosta completed his heroics when, with 12 seconds to play and the score tied at 73, he hit a desperation basket from outside the perimeter that swished the net for a three 76-73. Acosta finished the game with 23 points.
And the smart Nadec defense did not give Kudu a chance to make an attempt on the return play.
The big win revived hopes of a Nadec upset over Kudu in the winner-take-all Game 3 today.
The tournament for the benefit of the children of UNICEF enjoys the generous support of Paul C. Dunphy, Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers GM and Sizzler House through Randy Assistin and Kudu through Mostafa Hamadeh with BTC through Francis Duran for the giveaway items for the first 3-point shots
The scores:
Nadec (76) R. Acosta 23, J. Claveria 16, Joel Tarin 15, K. Tiong 9, J. Dela Pena 4, S. Panelo 3, V. Sayo 2, N. Talavera 2, R. Nubla 2
Kudu (73) B. Fabila 19, J. Coronado 13, F. Pasig 12, F. Aguinaldo 8, B. Orlina 7, R. Piodos 6, P. Romero 4, G. Mortiz 2, C. Toledo 2
Refs.: Ernie Dela Cruz, Ed Tamayo and Pumar Quillo