Saturday, November 05, 2005
Lokal checks skid at CSLI’s expense
Jeremy Huang and Alex Yeo presided over a searing fourth-quarter run to vault Lokal past the slumping Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc., 70-66, for their first victory in the 2005 Winners League basketball tournament at the City Sports Club of Cebu.
Huang unloaded half of his season-high 28 points, while Yeo tossed in seven of his 17-point output in a tide-turning rally in the final stretch that snapped their two-game losing streak.
In stark contrast, Cokaliong Shipping crashed to its worst 0-3 start in league history. So heart-ripping the defeat was for Cokaliong Shipping as it fiercely clawed back from an early 13-16 deficit to mount an 11-point lead, 52-41, at the end of the third period only to fold up in the windup.
Errors
As Cokaliong Shipping flirted with a big-time endgame collapse, Lokal’s Huang and Yeo made the most out of the opportunity as they joined forces to knot the count at 61-all entering the final two minutes of the contest.
Efforts of Cokaliong Shipping to regain lost ground went futile as the error-prone Richard Mercado committed crucial turnovers that sealed their doom.
When the score stood at 67-66 in favor of Lokal, Mercado, instead of passing the ball to either Chester Cokaliong or Gilbert Gajudo, who were both left unguarded, hurled an ill-advised 3-point attempt that bounced off the rim.
After Mercado’s miss, Novel Fortich scored on a breakaway layup to give Lokal a 69-66 lead with less than a minute to play.
In the final five seconds of the game, Cokaliong Shipping had a chance to close in, but failed as Gajudo flubbed a pair of free throws.
Close games
It was Cokaliong Shipping’s third straight setback in as many games – all close matches that could have gone either way. It lost to Lion-Tiger Aerosol, 63-65, before dropping a 67-73 decision to Sentinel Security.
“Basketball is a five-man game, I can’t win a game all by myself. Others have to step up and contribute,” said Cokaliong, who finished with 19 points, including five triples, on top of two steals and one assist.
Gajudo was held off to only eight points although he had 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Chester’s younger brother, Christopher, scored eight points, pulled 12 rebounds and had one steal.
Lokal (70) – Huang 28, Yeo 17, Go 8, Fortich 6, Lopez 5, De los Santos 4, Gillamac 2. Cokaliong Shipping (66) – Chester Cokaliong 19, Christopher Cokaliong 8, Gajudo 8, Boholst 8, Mercado 8, No 5, Gaw 4, Chase Cokaliong 3, Po 3. (PR)
(November 5, 2005 issue)
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