ARNOL Laureño propelled AACI Transport with 34 points against Royal Star Trading 89-85 and Jappy Cuaycong also scored 34 points to lead JSY Countertrade past Basecom 94-84 last Wednesday in the Fil-Sino All Asian Countertrade Inc. inter-company tournament at Tay Tung High School Po Hang Gym.
Royal Star Trading lacked the ceiling to counter the inside dominance of Laureño, Romar Desusa, and Pao Pao Lim. Desusa and Lim scored on offensive putbacks with 19 and 11 points, respectively. AACI Transport also got a big lift from Tubby Villanueva with 14 points.
Royal Star trailed the first half, 44-33 but was able to catch up in the third quarter with Ren-Ren Lacson and Badong Eufre conspiring for 18 points. Royal Star were opportunistic on their fastbreak attacks and their outside shooting found its mark to force a deadlock at 65 all.
It was a nip and tuck battle in the payoff quarter but the frontline of Royal Star was crippled with foul trouble as Laureño had a free pass in the shaded area, scoring 11 of the last 14 points for AACI transport to seal the victory.
Ren Ren Lacson paced Royal Star with 23 points, Monroe Chua added 16 points, Badong Eufre shot 13 points, Villanueva and Chua contributed 10 points each, and Stephen Tan scored six.
In the second game, JSY Countertrade turned their slim 17-16 opening quarter advantage to a 46-31 lead at the break as Jappy Cuaycong and Simon Tan scored 14 and seven points, respectively.
Basecom produced its best quarter behind Richard Co, Biboy Uysang and Ervin Tan combining for 25 points but JSY Countertrade equaled their quarter output as JP Tan scored 10 points, and Daniel Ong, seven points to keep the lead at 74-59 going to the fourth quarter.
Uysang continued to produce the numbers for Basecom with 14 points and RJ Iligan knocked down three treys to finally outscore Countertrade, but they could not overhaul the doublé digit cushion as Cuaycong and Ong combined for 16 points to counter the Basecom uprising.
Backstopping Cuaycong were Daniel Ong with 18 points, with Simon Tan scoring 15 points; JP Tan, 14 points; Kevin Hinolan, seven points; and Bol Manaloto, six points.
Uysang paced Basecom with 29 points, Richard Co and Ervin Tan with 18 points apiece, and Iligan with 15 points. (With reports from Stephen Tan)