AACI Trading, which ranked No. 2, overcame a 23-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun AACI Transport, 75-71, as No. 4 Royal Star Trading upset top seed Basecom, 88-76, during the Fil-Sino Athletic Club Inter-Company Tournament 2nd Conference semifinals at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School Gym.
Following these surprise victories, AACI Trading and Royal Star Trading will face each other in the league finals.
During the semi-finals, AACI Transport built a commanding 68-47 advantage going into the final period but AACI Trading’s defense forced the former to only 3 points in the quarter.
Brian Coo led the later squad by dominating both ends of the court shooting 11 points as his teammates, Rey Pandoro and Marc Jalapa, provided help combining for 14 points to complete the comeback victory.
AACI Trading held a 21-14 opening quarter advantage before AACI Transport surged with a 42-12 run in the succeeding quarter behind Arnol Laureño and Joshua Co with 18 points apiece to take a 56-33 advantage at the break.
Coo sizzled with 31 points to spearhead AACI Trading as Pandoro added 11 points while Rinen Miagao and Jalapa made 9 points each.
Laureño, on the other hand, finished with 24 points in losing efforts as Co added 19 points, and Richard Co and Timothy Chua added 6 points apiece.
In the other semis face-off, Basecom was off to a good start taking a 34-30 lead in the first quarter as Carlo Chu dropped 20 points while Andy Tio added 3 triples for 11 points.
Edgar Agana also exploded Royal Star Trading with 22 points and Carl Ginete added 8 points.
Matt Deles scored 9 to lead Royal Star Trading to a 49-46 advantage at half time as Yan Yan Dy and Miguel Mosquero delivered 6 points each for Basecom.
Agana tallied 29 points for Royal Star Trading as Deles backstopped with 19 points. Ginete has 14 points while Dante Ma produced 10 points and Bambam Gilbor with 5 markers.
Chu, meanwhile, fired 25 points for Basecom as Dy shot 13 points, Mosquera with 11, and Kenneth Ymalay drilled 6 points.