Thursday, February 09, 2006
Pacific Trans ’99 unbeaten at 4-0
Cebu Pacific Transport ’99 kept its unbeaten record after eking out a 65-59 victory over JRJ Enterprises 2000 in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 8th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup at the City Sports Club-Cebu.
Class ’99 banked on another monster game by Ruben Yap Jr., who fired a season-best 35 points – more than half of his team’s total output – on top of 15 rebounds, two assists and two steals as they raised their record to 4-0.
Yap scored 17 points in the first two quarters and then unloaded 18 in the second half, including nine in the last quarter that helped Class ’99 secure the win in the face of a spirited endgame resistance by Class 2000.
Class ’99 trailed by five after the first period, 14-19, but bounced back in the second canto, 18-8, to gain a two-point headway at halftime, 29-27. Class ’99, which also drew 12 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists from Genseric Rowie Tan, padded its led to four entering the final 10-minute mark, 48-44, and protected its slim lead the rest of the way as Class 2000 tasted its third defeat against only one win.
In the other game, Christian Espada wielded an offensive show as sharp as his surname, drilling in season highs of 37 points and 19 rebounds to power Hannah’s Cakes and Decors 2004 to an 86-74 melting of Techni-Ice 2001.
Espada, who also dished out three assists and had two steals, was ably backed up by Danel Hayag, who lighted up 22 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals as Class 2004 upped its win-loss record to 3-1.
Class 2004 trailed by a hairline at the break, 37-38, but Espada and Hayag presided over a searing 27-12 rally in the third quarter to change the course of the match in its favor with a 14-point advantage, 64-50, entering the final period.
Class 2001 saw four of its players score in double figures but they couldn’t offset the solid one-two punch of Espada and Hayag of Class 2004.
Paul Martin Gabatan had 22 points, Marlon Lao added 20, while Nelson Liao and Eric Cabana cashed in 14 and 12 markers, respectively, for Class 2001, which slipped to 1-3.
Class 2004 (86) – Espada 37, Hayag 22, Areja 8, Uy 4, Sypongco 4, Mamac 4, Sy 4, Co 3. Class 2001 (74) – Gabatan 22, Lao 20, Liao 14, Cabana 12, Sun 4, Peña 2; Class 1999 (65) – Yap 35, G. Tan 12, Lauron 8, T. Tan 6, Uy 4. Class 2000 (59) – Ocarol 21, Lo 16, Chua 10, Boltron 6, Peña 6.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 9, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
