Friday, September 26, 2008 Pier One takes lead in Shaba finals
PIER One got a step closer to making it to the Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association final after downing Samsung, 59-46, in the Game 1 of their Best-of-Three series last Wednesday night.
The final featured a classic match-up of experience against youth as third seeded Samsung, who knocked out defending
champion Transover in the semis, is composed mostly of Batch 2005.
On the other hand, Pier One features a lineup composed mostly of the core group of Batch 1990 and also eliminated top
seed Worldwide Steel.
Pier One dictated the tempo right from the start as they clamped down on defense to ground Samsung’s dynamic duo of Antonio Datan and Eldie Cabahug, son of former PBA star Elmer “Boy” Cabahug.
Two-time Shaba Most Valuable Player (MVP) Theogene Lim kicked off Pier One’s offense in the first half as the veterans raced off to a 31-24 halftime lead. MVP candidate Dennis Que, three-time MVP Dave Lim and two-time MVP Chad Canares ballooned Pier One’s lead to 10 at the end of the 3rd quarter.
But Cabahug, whose performance this year also warrants MVP consideration, spearheaded Samsung’s rally early in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to four.
However, the championship-tested Pier One veterans rode on the shoulders of Lim and Que to thwart off Samsung’s comeback as they pulled away with a 59-46 victory.
Pier One can win the title with a victory in Game 2, scheduled this Sunday at the old SHS-J Gym in Mango Avenue.
Gametime is at 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, defending champion Transrover claimed third place with a 67-45 rout over Worldwide Steel. (PR)
