Sigma beat the Spartans 63-60 on Friday night in Stevenage, winning the 35+ Division game with a three in the closing seconds after Bobby Hatague had taken the Spartans level from the free throw line.
Deck Bobadilla hit the three that won it. Kolja Nodora led all scorers with eighteen points, four of them from three point range, and ten Sigma players got on the scoresheet. The lead changed hands six times and the scores were level seven times.
How It Happened
First quarter, Sigma 13-9. The quarter was traded basket for basket, KD Duroy opening the scoring and Hatague answering twice for the Spartans. Bringas hit a three, Jasper Jubilo scored inside and Nowii Aljas kept the Spartans within two. Nodora then hit two threes in a row for 13-7 and Vincent Bilagantol closed the quarter.
Second quarter, tied 18-18. The Spartans took their first lead of the night. Alain Dumo's three started a run of ten without reply, Hansel Judilla scoring five of them and Hatague adding a basket for 15-16, and Judilla pushed it out to 17-21. Sigma came straight back. Deck Bobadilla scored twice to level at 21, and from there Sigma scored ten of the next thirteen, Nodora with another three and Carlo Nolasco and Dar Orante inside, to lead 31-25. Kevin Gamotin made two free throws for 31-27 at the half.
Third quarter, Spartans 12-9. The lowest scoring quarter of the night. Nodora scored two more baskets and Janry Lim hit a three to put Sigma nine clear at 40-31, their biggest lead of the game. The Spartans finished the quarter with eight unanswered points, Gamotin inside and threes from Robert Oneza and Aljas, to trail by one going into the fourth.
Fourth quarter, Sigma 23-21. Tata Cocjin's free throw tied it at 40 and the game swung twice more. Sigma scored eight in a row, four of them from Duroy, to lead 48-40. The Spartans answered with ten without reply, Judilla scoring twice and Hatague twice, to lead 50-52. Duroy levelled at 52, Oneza hit a three and Dwaine Patiak scored for 52-57, the Spartans' biggest lead of the night. Lim and Nodora both hit threes to put Sigma back in front at 58-57, and Sigma led 60-57 with under a minute left. Hatague made three free throws to tie it at 60-60. Bobadilla answered with a three to win it.
Leaders
Sigma: Kolja Nodora 18 points (four threes), Deck Bobadilla 11 (one three, the winner), KD Duroy 10, Janry Lim 6 (two threes), Carlo Nolasco 5, Ayan Bringas 3 (one three), Jerry Ocampo 4, Jasper Jubilo 2, Amiel Laylo 2, Dar Orante 2. Ten Sigma players scored.
Spartans: Bobby Hatague 15 points, Hansel Judilla 13 (one three), Kevin Gamotin 9 (one three), Robert Oneza 6 (two threes), Nowii Aljas 5 (one three), Dwaine Patiak 4, Alain Dumo 3 (one three), Tata Cocjin 2, Vincent Bilagantol 2, Julius Dagpin 1. Ten Spartans scored.
Notes
- Seven ties and six lead changes. Sigma led by as many as nine, the Spartans by as many as five.
- Three separate runs decided the shape of it: ten in a row for the Spartans in the second quarter, eight in a row for Sigma in the fourth, then ten in a row for the Spartans straight after.
- Bobby Hatague made three free throws in the closing seconds to tie the game at 60-60. Deck Bobadilla answered with a three to win it.
- Ten players scored for each side, the most even scoring night of the Cup so far.
- Fouls: Sigma 21, Spartans 9.
Up Next
Sigma face the Trojans and the Spartans return later in the Cup. Full box score on the game stats page, standings on the results page.