Team Slashers and Surangel and Sons showed life as they went on to beat respective rivals, Sunday in the ongoing 2011 Filipino Basketball League (FBL) at the Palau National gym.

The Slashers went deep on its bench as they defeated a tough Aloha Maid Choppers, 86-78 in a come from behind victory fashion. Trailing 35-40 at the end of the first half, the Slashers then went to rookie Rikki Manalansan and Arvin Pramo who provided the needed fire power as they outscored the Choppers in the third canto with a 30-22 output to claim the driver seat 65-62.

From there the Slashers never looked back as they nailed their 11th win to sport a 11-8 win-loss card in the team standings. Manalansan took over the scoring chores for the Slashers with 34 points while Pramo added 27. PJ Esguerra paced the Choppers with 16 as they suffered their 9th lost for an 8-8 card.

On the other hand, Surangel and Sons turned back team Guardians, 102-80. High flying Arnold Undencimo came up big for Surangel and Sons as he led them in the scoring department with 28 markers as they are now 6-11 in the team standings while Marlon dela Cruz topscored for the Guardians with 33 but was not enough as they are now 10-7.

In other games, Western Union bested the Jaguars, 87-82 and Mam’l Divers Rangers drubbed PNQ Rams, 90-42.

Games will resume on October 23 with the Jaguars versus Surangel and Sons at 11 a.m. followed by the Hanpa Cardinals-Mam’l Divers Rangers tussle at 12:30 p.m. as the Ilocandia Bulls will meet PNQ Rams at 2 p.m. while Western Union will collide with the Spoilers in the main game at 3:30 p.m.

This year’s FBL is sponsored by Aqua Drinking Water, ATT Bar and Restaurant, Blue Bay Petroleum Inc., Budget Mart 1, CTSI Logistics/Western Union, Engr. Bobby Pineda, Galaxy Dexigner, Galaxy Builders, Kabayan Restaurant, MJ Trading and General Merchandise, Palasia Hotel, Palau Royal Resort, Palau Shipping Co., PITI, Sea Passion Hotel, Shimbros Inc., The Print Zone, The Taj Restaurant, VMJ Construction and WCTC. The FBL is under the supervision of the Palau Basketball Federation.   By Peter Erick L. Magbanua (Island Times News)