Echo cagers stun Delta in Cekalco

TEAM Echo shocked powerhouse Delta, 109-99, Saturday night for its fifth win in 11 games, while the latter, though still in the lead, dropped to 8-3 in the Center Katipunan A. Lopez Christian Organization (CEKALCO)-2013, Second Season basketball tournament at the A. Lopez open court.

Delta raced to a, 24-16 lead in the opening period but Team Echo responded with a blistering 43-24 run in the second to erect an 11-point advantage, 59-48, at the half behind high-leaping center Donald Catong and playmaker Nelson Solana.

Echo kept its double-digit lead, 86-73, after three quarters and never looked back to seal its 10-point victory.

Catong and Solana paced Echo with 31 and 20 points, respectively while Julius Gutierez and Gany Sinag paced Delta with 38 and 29 markers.

In the other game, Bravo rallied for a come-from-behind, 87-80 win over Alpha, to improve its win-loss slate to 4-7 while the latter remained at the cellar with a 2-9 card.

Alpha posted a commanding 17 points lead, 68-51 at the end of the third canto but Bravo whipped up a, 37-12 fourth quarter storm to snatch the win.

Tata Maspiñas and Francis Philip Nacar led Bravo with 24 and 20 points, respectively, while Dondon Yap and Kenneth Beltran paced the losing Alpha with 24 and l8, markers. /Correspondent Dale Rosal