Sykes starts strong
THE SYKES Pioneers marked their return from a seven-year absence with a blowout victory even as Odusee Rooz put up a rousing debut at the start of the 2012 Sun Cellular E-League for Basketball last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu Gym.
The Pioneers, the league’s inaugural champion, trashed the Teleperformance Lions, 68-42, while the Rooz edged out the ELI Global Underdogs, 78-73.
Odusee, Teleperformance and ELI are the league’s new members.
Jan O’Neil Sahilan and Peter Alexander both scored 13 points for Sykes, which had 11 players scoring at least two points. Gerald Bien Galardin was the third Pioneer in double figures with 11 points.
No player scored in twin digits for Teleperformance, which scored just four points in the first quarter and nine in the second, allowing Sykes to take full control of the game by posting a big 30-13 lead at the half.
Kenneth Robert Abrantes, on the other hand, topped the Rooz with 28 points while Romnick Igot added 24 markers. Acie Degoro chipped in 11 markers.
The loss spoiled the big offensive game of ELI Global’s Ryan Zear Lauro, who finished with a game-high 37 points. Jesus Ricarde was the only other Underdog to score in double figures with 10 points.
Meanwhile, Navigail Bleinagel of JP Morgan Chase Co. romped off with the Best Muse award during the league’s opening ceremonies. ELI Global’s Myth Anisca Tuñacao won first runner-up honors while Supportsave’s Christine Villegas ran away with the second runner-up award. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA
