The NEHBL Invitational Cup opened its Open Division on Friday night with a game that was closer than the final score for three quarters, before the Pythons pulled away late to beat the Stevenage Ballers 76-58.
The Pythons led from the opening basket and never trailed, but the Ballers tied it twice in the second quarter and were within five early in the fourth before a 10-0 run settled it.
How It Happened
First quarter, Pythons 18-10. The Pythons scored the first seven points of the season, two baskets from Troy Bustamante and a CJ Lasheras three, and stretched the lead to 18-7 before Xavier Alonday hit a three late in the period for the Ballers.
Second quarter, Ballers 19-14. The best stretch of the night for the Ballers. Jed Paralejas and Dave Parilla hit from deep, Brix Socorro went to the line again and again, and four straight Socorro free throws tied the game at 24. Will Palacio answered with a three, Jerald Pastor matched it to level at 27, and it took a three and a two on consecutive possessions from Eric Arriaga to send the Pythons in at half time up 32-29.
Third quarter, Pythons 20-14. Paralejas opened the half with another three to cut it to 34-32. From there Bustamante scored 11 points in the quarter, a three and four baskets inside, and a Lasheras three pushed the margin to nine. Socorro scored the last two Ballers baskets of the period to keep it at 52-43.
Fourth quarter, Pythons 24-15. Pastor hit two more threes in the first two minutes to bring the Ballers to 54-49. The Pythons responded with 10 unanswered points, Arriaga, Lance Villanueva and five straight from Bustamante, to make it 64-49, and the lead grew to as many as 23 before the Ballers scored the final five points.
Leaders
Pythons: Troy Bustamante 24 points (10 field goals, 1 three, 3 free throws, 1 steal), CJ Lasheras 12 (2 threes), Eric Arriaga 11 (2 threes), Ahmed Omar 6, Will Palacio 5. Eleven Pythons scored.
Stevenage Ballers: Brix Socorro 14 points (8 of them from the line), Jed Paralejas 11 (3 threes), Jerald Pastor 11 (3 threes), Ryan Paralejas 7, Dave Parilla 5. The Ballers made nine three pointers to the Pythons' six.
Notes
- Lead changes: 0. Ties: 2 (24-24 and 27-27, both in the second quarter). Biggest lead: Pythons by 23.
- Fouls: Pythons 13, Ballers 15. Twelve of the Ballers' 58 points came at the free throw line.
- The Ballers' 19-14 second quarter was the only period they won.
Up Next
The Pythons host the Mustangs on Friday 9 October at 8:45 PM. The Ballers return on Friday 16 October at 7:30 PM against New Elite. Full box score on the game stats page, standings on the results page.
