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Dimov shines as Blades win 18th straight

League IV.43 Elimination Round
Bacoor Blades @ ESTORYAHEE!
15:26

Iliya Dimov's well-documented struggle offensively this season took a turn for the better as he turned out an outstanding performance to pave the way for the Bacoor Blades to win their 18th straight game at the expense of hosts ESTORYAHEE! at ZANQU, 104-72. They also saw themselves assured of the #1 seed in the Great 8 Conference after defeating the hosts.

The Bulgarian hotshot scored game-high 21 points on 9-for-14 shooting, including 50% clip from beyond the arc, four rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots. Not bad for a 6'0" player.

The Cavite side stormed to the lead from the get-go as they seemed to have grown used to the pressure of performing well under the circumstances of the streak they are in. The result was an astounding 30-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Blades saw little to no resistance as they seemed to have been in cruise control for most of the game after their blitzing start.

"It was a great game for me. I thank my teammates for finding me in the spots that I wanted, putting me in a position to score comfortably." said Dimov of his performance. "I know it has been said a lot by me and the rest of the team. But hopefully, this truly continues for the rest of the season going into the playoffs."

"I'm so happy for Iliya to finally get his touch back in this game." said team manager TheDogMan. "It's key for him to get going for it relieves the pressure off the rest of my guards to try and take the scoring load. Especially for (co-captain) Mark (Hugos) since I want Mark to be more of a facilitator than a shooter even though he is capable.

Dimov and Hugos were part of six Blades players that scored in double figures for the squad. They return to The Bacoor Forum to face GliBanr, who currently is in a hunt for a playoff spot and shall look to find a key road win against the top seeds on the 14th.

Post-Election Massacre: Blades annihilate GliBanr for 19th straight

League IV.43 Elimination Round
GliBanr @ Bacoor Blades
20:26

A day after the nation exercised their right to elect their leaders during the midterm elections, a devastating show of power by the Bacoor Blades at the expense of GliBanr took place at The Bacoor Forum, notching a 66-point win, 102-36, to secure their 19th straight win.

And although the decision is still in doubt as to who won the city's local posts, there was little doubt as to the outcome of the game from the get-go. A 49-9 halftime lead stared GliBanr in the face. The blitz continued in the fourth quarter after a relaxed third period amidst the fact that Blades manager TheDogMan already fielded in his second unit.

Every Blades player was able to contribute at least one point, led by the monster performance of co-captain Kelly Paul, who had 21 points and 23 rebounds. He was followed by Iliya Dimov and Eugenio Genco, who had 19 and 18 points respectively. Eladio Martin score 11 points and four rebounds in just 18 minutes.

"Kelly, Eugenio and Iliya were clicking in the first half. I didn't want to disrupt their rhythm that's why I kept them in the game as much as possible." said TheDogMan. The Blades' gaffer was also quick to praise his starting point guard and co-captain Mark Hugos, who had 11 assists and eight points. "Mark was key in the offense early. His passes began the play and kept the ball rotating."

"I just wanted to make sure that the team got going early." said the 6'5" Hugos. "One thing that concerned me was the potential tendency of the team to relax and not move without the ball. Obviously my concern was unwarranted." he humorously admitted.

Their 19-win streak is on the line as the Blades go on the road again to face current #4 seed BATIL1 on the 18th before hosting colosals on the 21st, which will serve as the final home game of the season.

Blades win 20th straight on the road

League IV.43 Elimination Round
Bacoor Blades @ BATIL1
San jose
19:48

In what has been the norm for the Bacoor Blades this season, they blow out yet another foe as hosts BATIL1 did not stand a chance against the Cavite onslaught en route to the Blades 100-54 victory to remain unbeaten in 20 game this season so far.

The hosts cannot find answers for gunner Iliya Dimov as his shooting provided the difference in the first canto, leading to a 28-13 advantage for the Blades afterwards. They never looked back as they simply put the clamps on their counterparts as well as bombarding them with points from all kinds of sorts from offensive putbacks to outside shooting to perfect execution on their permieter and post-up plays. They played tough defense for the first three quarters before obviously letting go of the gas pedal in the fourth as the game was already out of reach.

The 6'0" Bulgarian shot 11-of-16 from the field, including 3-for-7 from three point territory for 25 points while the twin tower combination of Eugenio Genco and Kelly Paul scored a combined 22 points and 25 rebounds as both mounted a double-double performance, highlighting yet another game where every member of the Blades roster was able to score a basket.

"Well, I won't deny that there were still shaky plays where my confidence in my shot isn't there." admitted Dimov. "But they just kept on telling me to take those shots 'cause that's the only way I can finally get out of it. And in the last few games, I think it's evident."

"At this point, all I can ask of them is to stay in the course. But quite frankly, with the way this season has gone, I don't think such request is something necessary." said team manager TheDogMan after the win. "They know the situation and they need not be reminded of the task at hand. They have their sights set on big things ahead."

With just two game days remaining in the elimination round, the Blades are already assured of the top seed in the Great 8 Conference. BATIL1 still remains as the #4 seed but with a win by GliBanr means that the gap between the two teams closes to just a single game. If the positioning of the teams remain as is until the end of the elimination round, this encounter between Bacoor and BATIL1 could be one of the Great 8's conference semifinal matchups in two weeks.

The Blades will play their final home game of the season on the 21st against lowly colosals before closing out the elimination round with a showdown with DLSU Archers at St. Benilde on the 25th.

Blades look to seal home court throughout playoffs vs colosals

League IV.43 Elimination Round
colosals @ Bacoor Blades
The Bacoor Forum
11:32

The Bacoor Blades defend home court for the last time in the elimination round as they host colosals later today at The Bacoor Forum in their penultimate schedule for the regular season.

The win will not only extend their impressive unbeaten run so far to 21 games, but it would also seal their home court advantage throughout the playoffs even if they lose their last game of the season due to a superior point differential over Big 8 top-seed Citta Italia Rangers.

"This is obviously a critical game. Home court is something you work hard for in the elimination round so you can repay your fans of more frequent playoff matches in your building." said team manager TheDogMan.

"It's a key game. We should give our fans a lot to cheer about as well as a good showing to give them confidence that we're ready for the playoffs." said Blades super-sub Eladio Martin.

The last time these two teams met earlier this season, the Blades exploded in the first quarter, 33-8, en route to a 109-57 victory in a game that saw seven Blades players score in double figures.

"We played very well against them on their turf. They have that at the back of their minds so I'm pretty sure that they will see fit to fight this time." said resident shooter Iliya Dimov.

"Maganda yung pinakita namin nung huli naming laban sa arena nila. Tignan natin kung ano mangyayari ngayong dito na ang laban sa arena namin." said team co-captain Mark Louis Hugos.

Their last game shall be against DLSU Archers at St. Benilde on the 25th. The game today tips-off at 5:30 pm.

Blades seal playoff home court after huge win vs. colosals

League IV.43 Elimination Round
colosals @ Bacoor Blades
17:15

It has been the common theme for the Blades and their adversaries this season: Blades clamp down early, pound you in middle quarters before pulling back on the fourth. This game was no different as the Blades annihilate anew colosals as they hosted the seventh-seed at The Bacoor Forum, 101-27.

The win secured the Blades having home-court advantage all throughout the playoffs regardless of what happens in their final assignment of the elimination round, having in possession of a superior point differential over Big 8 top-seed Citta Italia Rangers. The win also put their point differential to an astounding 1014 points and the only team that conceded less than 2000 points to their opponent in 21 games so far, creating an average of just 55 points allowed per game.

Bulgarian hotshot Iliya Dimov confirmed the resurgence of his shooting touch by churning out 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting and 4-of-6 from the three-point line. The twin-tower combination of co-captain Kelly Paul and Eugenio Genco connived for 26 points and 29 rebounds. All other Blades players were able to contribute at least a field goal in the game.

colosals did not help themselves as their two top gunners, Jorge Ruiz and Trevor Peak, only managed to put up a combined 10 points on a combined 4-for-34 shooting. No player from the visiting side finished in double figures as Thaddeuse Elijah Putong only had a team-high eight markers.

"This was a key game and there was added motivation to finish at the top of the league." said team manager TheDogMan. "A statement should always be made every game. We are here to win and this is our time." exclaimed the Blades' gaffer.

"I think it was just one of those games that when you get a good feeling that it snowball into something great. That's what I felt shooting the ball tonight." said the 6'0" Dimov.

"Halos lahat ng ginawa namin, tama." said co-captain Mark Hugos, who had a rough night shooting with only nine points and seven assists. "Maliban siguro sa mga tira ko. " the Filipino skipper jokingly claimed.

This will serve as their final home game for The Bacoor Forum shall host next the Playoff between either BATIL1 or DLSU Archers. They shall play the latter next at St. Benilde on Saturday.

Blades look to end eliminations unbeaten

League IV.43 Elimination Round
Bacoor Blades @ DLSU Archers
St. Benilde
18:08

The Bacoor Blades juggernaut showed no mercy from the get-go, obliterating opponents by an average point differential of over 47 points a game. And by the looks of things, the only obstacle left standing between the league-leaders and their quest for their second unbeaten streak in four seasons is the DLSU Archers, as they host the Cavite side tomorrow at 5:30 pm.

The surprisingly-easy chain of victories for the Blades have led to pundits and fellow managers alike to already crown them the league's best. But Blades' head TheDogMan was quick to douse water off the emerging embers of conclusions.

"Too early. Way too early. Believe me. I know." said the Blades' gaffer, mentioning the aforementioned position of the Blades three seasons ago. "Remember Season 20? Yeah I thought so. So believe me. I know that this isn't over by a long shot. So conclusions like that are too early for me."

Season 20 saw the Blades end the elimination round, 22-0, only to wind up losing the Finals series to The Blackout via sweep. Amidst a runner-up finish, they were surprisingly promoted to Division III, where they spent two seasons at the bottom of the standings before being relegated back after losing in a relegation series.

They've picked up ground since then though, winning all of their elimination round games so far as well as making their deepest National Tournament run this season, amassing $300,000 in winnings along the way. And although they have a chance to repeat their Season 20 success, they know that the unblemished record is not the ultimate goal.

"22-0 is not the end-all be-all of this league." said veteran forward Pedro Horcasitas. "I wasn't here yet when they achieved that feat. But they did not win that season so I will try my very best to make sure a different outcome will occur this time."

As mentioned, the game between DLSU Archers and the Blade shall serve as the final gameday of the elimination round as the playoffs are set to begin next week.

Blades unbeaten anew in the elimination round

League IV.43 Elimination Round
Bacoor Blades @ DLSU Archers
St. Benilde
13:57

The Bacoor Blades end the elimination round undefeated, crushing DLSU Archers, 124-64 at St. Benilde yesterday.

The win not only assured them of a repeat of Season 20's dominance, it also ended up being the preview of the upcoming playoff opener for both teams as the Archers dropped to the #4 seed as BATIL1 won their final elimination round game to match up with the Blades in the Great 8 Conference Semifinal.

A 31-11 start became the all-familiar omen for the home side as they struggled to convert from the field with no little credit to the Blades' suffocating defense. The other contributors to the Archers' cause were severely limited for the duration of the game and it manifested itself amidst a valiant effort by DLSU's top gunner Fruto Nicolas. The 3-point shootout champion churned out 20 points on 7-for-15 shooting, but only shot 20% from the great beyond. Kelly Payne had 10 markers to back Fruto up, but their production proved to already be the bulk of their offensive production for the entire game.

The Cavite side was led by Iliya Dimov, who had 26 points and six rebounds, shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc. Co-captain Kelly Paul and Eugenio Genco had double-double outputs of 21 and 10 and 13 and 15 respectively, with Genco contributing a further seven assists in the game. Three other Blades scored in double figures.

"We've put ourselves in a great position. We've been clicking all season long." said the 6'9" Paul. "We have a blueprint to look into in our Season 20 performance. Let's see what happens this time."

"They never lost focus in the elimination round. They had one thing in mind and that is to get back to DIII. They will have a great chance this time." said team manager TheDogMan.

As mentioned, the Archers and the Blades will match up as the #4 and the #1 seed, respectively, in the Conference Semifinal, which begins on the 28th of May. The winner of the one-game playoff will face the winner of the #2 seed ESTORYAHEE! and #3 seed BATIL1 pairing in the Conference Final.

Blades begin playoff push vs. Archers

League IV.43 Playoffs
Great 8 Conference Semifinal
#4 DLSU Archers @ #1 Bacoor Blades
11:00

For the second game in a row, league-leaders Bacoor Blades and DLSU Archers square off, but this time around, the stakes are even higher as both teams look to eliminate one another to advance to the Great 8 Conference Final.

The knockout game shall determine one of two teams that shall duke it out to represent the Great 8 in the best-of-three Finals series, with the other tie-up being #2 seed ESTORYAHEE! and #3 seed BATIL1.

The Cavite five swept the season series 2-0, part of their dominant 22-0 run in the elimination round. This included the game last Saturday, the final game of the elimination round that the Blade won, 124-64. They also won the initial meeting last March 30, 104-67.

But despite the seemingly-dominant showing of the Blades this season, team manager TheDogMan was quick to reiterate the team's true goal.

"We want to win the title. We want to be promoted back to DIII and not overstay our welcome here in Division IV. This is a huge step in attaining that goal." said the Blades' boss.

"Simula na ng playoffs. Kahit na maraming nagsasabi na sigurado na ang panalo namin, hindi pa rin dapat maging kampante." said co-captain Mark Louis Hugos. "Simula na ng totoong labanan."

This game, along with the rest of the Season 23 playoffs in League IV.43 are to begin tomorrow at 5:30 pm.

Blades eliminate Archers; advances to Conference Final

League IV.43 Playoffs
Great 8 Conference Semifinal
#4 DLSU Archers @ #1 Bacoor Blades
19:42

Exuding sheer domination from the get-go, the Bacoor Blades obliterated DLSU Archers to advance to the Great 8 Conference Final, 103-53 at The Bacoor Forum.

A record-setting 10,439 people witnessed their home team lead from start to finish, showing no remorse until the final quarter, when the game was no longer in doubt. The attendance record was made official during the halftime festivities, making it the first time that the venue hosted over 10,000 people since upgrading the venue to the aforementioned capacity just over two weeks ago.

The Cavite five was led by arguably their three most important players: Co-captains Mark Hugos and Kelly Paul, and Eugenio Genco, who had 22, 17 and 15 points respectively. Genco also had 13 rebounds before fouling out of the game in the early parts of the 3rd quarter. Sophomore bigman Chester Maynard took it from there and did not disappoint, grabbing 10 rebounds and six points.

DLSU was led by Kelly Payne's 18 markers - the only double-figure scorer for the visitors. League scoring champion and three-point shootout champion Fruto Nicolas ended up with only six points, shooting 2-for-15 from the field for a measly 13%, as he obviously look frustrated by the Blades' defense.

"I believe that we were able to execute our defensive gameplan perfectly." said team manager TheDogMan. "We won't lie that Fruto was on our crosshairs for this game. He averaged 22 points on us the last two time we met. Limiting his production was key." he continued.

"Sa mga pagkakataong nagta-tao kami, marami kaming nagro-rotate para bantayan siya." said Hugos, who also dished out nine assists and blocked one shot. "Pero siguro yung sugal namin na mag-sona at hayaang talunin niya kami sa mga tres niya, tumalab kasi wala siyang na-shoot from three." the 6'5" skipper continued, pointing out Fruto Nicolas's woeful 0-for-6 shooting from beyond the three-point line.

With the loss, DLSU Archers are officially eliminated from the playoffs after finishing the elimination round as the #4 seed with a 13-9 win-loss slate. They were the #3 seed for the majority of the regular season before losing two key games that materialized the swap between them and BATIL1.

Despite this fact, BATIL1 lost their Conference Semifinal showdown against #2 seed ESTORYAHEE!, 115-109. Which means that the Great 8 Conference Finals shall be between Bacoor and ESTORYAHEE!.

Conference Final set as Blades face ESTORYAHEE!

League IV.43 Playoffs
Great 8 Conference Final
#2 ESTORYAHEE! @ #1 Bacoor Blades
10:37

The stage has been set. The Bacoor Forum shall host it's second-ever Conference Final as the Bacoor Blades face ESTORYAHEE! this Saturday, the 1st of June, at 5:30 pm. The winner will represent the Great 8 Conference in the Best-of-Three Finals series to determine the Champion of League IV.43 Season 23.

The two teams won their Conference Semifinal tie-ups in contrasting fashions, with the Blades cruising through DLSU Archers, 103-53 while ESTORYAHEE! had to endure a late-game rally to pull the game out of the fire, 115-109. ESTORYAHEE! finished behind the Blades in the final standings of the elimination round by eight games. But despite the rankings, the games between the two squads were never close, with the Blades defeating ESTORYAHEE! in their first two encounters; a 130-89 victory last March 16 and a 104-72 decision last May 11.

Two of the best young players in the League will duke it out as ESTORYAHEE!'s Miguel Gelera and Bacoor's Kelly Paul is expected to lead their squad's charge to victory. The 19 year-old Gelera averaged over 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals throughout the elimination round while his counterpart normed 18 points, 13 rebounds and two block during the same period.

"That young kid can play, no doubt." said team manager TheDogMan. "He ignited their charge this season. That being said, he's on our crosshairs the same way that Fruto Nicolas was the last game, definitely." he further added.

"Mahalaga na mapigilan yung batang 'yon kasi mahalaga talaga siya sa opensa nila." Blades co-captain Mark Louis Hugos admitted. "Halos magkasing-tangkad sila ni Fruto. Kaso dahil mas bata si Gelera, mas maliksi ang galaw niya. Athletic kumbaga." Hugos claimed.

"They're one of the more high-octane offenses in the League. So it's up to our defensive schemes that will determine our success in the game." said Pedro Horcasitas.

The visitors will also miss the services of Antonio Galopo, one of their regular rotation players off the bench as well as Gilberto Oblea, who norms 17 points as a starter for ESTORYAHEE!.

"They will not have two key guys for the game, which is a sad development. But we have to do the things we need to do to win." said center Eugenio Genco.

The winner of this one-game playoff shall face the winner of the Big 8 Conference Final match-up between Citta Italia Rangers and Creators creation in the League Final.

Chance at Redemption: Blades barge to League Final with thumping of ESTORYAHEE!

League IV.43 Playoffs
Great 8 Conference Final
#2 ESTORYAHEE! @ #1 Bacoor Blades
7:55

Before a crowd of 10,945 people, the Bacoor Blades destroyed another formidable foe in ESTORYAHEE!, 101-40, to book their second Division IV League Final in four seasons.

The Cavite five demonstrated their might over the visitors with a resounding 24-9 first quarter score, which the fans have come to know as an indicator that the game is long done before it could even continue. What ensued was a continuous pounding in the middle quarters, with the Blades wielding a 55-15 first half lead. But although the game was already wrapped up before the fourth quarter even began at 77-24, the Blades kept on building the lead to embarass the opposing Conference Finalist to submission.

Iliya Dimov and Pedro Horcasitas paced Bacoor with 19 each. Kelly Paul and Eugenio Genco had double-double performances as they combined for 26 points and 24 rebounds, while power forward Laurence Lacambra even had 11 points in just 16 minutes of action.

The visitors were led by Percival Rubias and his 10 markers - the only double-digit scorer for the Blades. Sophomore guard Miguel Gelera only had eight points on 3-for-18 shooting, even firing blanks from beyond the arc on five attempts.

Only Mark Louis Hugos was made available to the media after the resounding victory, as the team headed back to the dugout and out of The Bacoor Forum immediately after the game.

"Ang masasabi ko lang sa ngayon, at siguro masasabi ko ring ito ang pakiramdam ng buong team: Hindi pa kami kuntento rito. Nais naming makabawi at babawi kami. Ang misyon namin ay makabalik sa DIII, at yun ang pipiliting naming makamit." said a stoic Hugos, who showed no signs of jubilation after the victory.

The gameday also saw the other Conference Final take place, with the Citta Italia Rangers defeating Creators creation, 118-100, which means that the League IV.43 Finals is set between the Blades and the Rangers in a Best-of-Three series.