THE Accenture Sharks ended a decade of futility in the most emphatic of ways, dethroning the reigning champions Sykes Pioneers in Game Three, 65-56, to hoist the Elite Classic championship in the Tanduay Athletics E-Leagues for Basketball Season 15 at the City Sports Club-Cebu on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020.
With razor-sharp focus, the Sharks ran rings around the Pioneers at the start, scoring the game’s first 13 points to set the tone for the match. Accenture kept the pressure on and even raised their lead to a high of 20, 40-20, heading to the final period of action.
Sykes though, showed its championship mettle as it pulled to within five, 53-58, with just 1:20 remaining, thanks to the smallest man on the floor, point guard Marl Laguna, who energized the Pioneers with his heads-up plays.
However, Accenture simply had too many weapons with Edsun Tabar delivering back-to-back baskets to seal the win and the title for the Sharks.
Junas Misa topped the Sharks with 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Tabar tallied 13 points, three boards and a block. Ryan Veloso was also critical in the Sharks’ surge in the first where he unloaded the bulk of his nine points.
Veloso, who was adjudged Finals MVP, also had six boards, three assists and a steal. Veteran forward Sherwin Resilla only had five points but he collected nine rebounds and three assists.
Already missing the services of injured top gun Janjan Auditor, the Pioneers couldn’t get substantial production from vaunted guards Earl Montilla and Victor Rabat. Rabat struggled mightily and scored just nine points, while Montilla was held down to a paltry five-point production.
It was Mark Olmilla who delivered the goods for the Pioneers with 20 points. Dominic Adlawan collected 13 points, 11 boards, one steal and an assist. (JNP)