Shell ’80s banked on an 8-0 blitz in the closing minutes of the game to beat JV Shop n Shop ’97, 69-64, in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Thursday night at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Chester Cokaliong fired eight triples of his game-high 25 points as Shell ’80’s notched its eighth straight win and ninth overall in 11 games. He also had one assist, one rebound and two steals, including a crucial one off Bryan Harry Labus in the dying seconds that foiled Class ‘97’s comeback attempt.
It was the ever productive Joel Chan, however, who saved the day for Class ’80s in the face of a spirited challenge by Class ’97 with his crucial hits in the windup.
Chan finished with 11 points, capped by two crucial baskets within the five-minute zone that bailed Class ’80 out of danger.
Trailing by three points, 61-64, Chan converted two straight shots underneath the basket off nifty assists by Wilson Yu to put Class ’80 on top for good, 66-64. It was a truly perfect play designed by coach Edito Salacut in that instance, using Chester Cokaliong as a decoy to break down Class ’97’s defense. Stephen Tan then went 3-of-4 from the foul line to seal the deal for Class ’80s.
Chan also grabbed nine rebounds, dished out the same number of assists and had three steals, while S. Tan contributed nine markers, eight rebounds and two steals. Wilson Yu scored only five but had seven rebounds, three assists and two steals for Class ’80s, which had to work extra hard after losing a seven-point lead at halftime, 40-33.
Class ’80s was still ahead by six points after three quarters, 55-49, but Class ’97 snatched the lead in the the windup, 59-61, on a basket by Aubrey Jones Ibones. Class ’97 was on top for the last time at 64-61 as the exuberant Class ’80s iced the match with eight straight points.
Labus had 10 points and 10 rebounds for Class ’97 which fell to 6-6. Ibones and Denver Dano also charted 10 points apiece for thelosing team.
In the other game, Erwin Yu had 15 points on top of three steals, two assists and two rebounds as Dewfoam ’88 stunned the previously undefeated First Family Appliance Circle ’96, 45-39, to improve its win-loss record to 8-3.
Rex Alison was the lone double-digit scorer with 13 points for Class ’96, which saw its nine-game winning streak end.
BOX SCORES
First game
Class ’80s (69) – Ches. Cokaliong 25, Chan 11, S. Tan 9, Z. Tan 8, Chris. Cokaliong 6, W. Yu 5, Mendez 3, S. Co 2
Class ’97 (64) – Labus 10, Dano 10, Ibones 10, Sy 6, Uy 6, Delda 6, Tan 5, Yu 4, Maderazo 4, Tan 2, Poligrates 1
Second game
Class ’88 (45) – E. Yu 15, Aguilar 9, R. Yu 7, Dy 5, R. Lim 4, Ng 3, Po 2
Class ’96 (39) – Alinson 13, Donayre 8, Ang 8, Renejane 3, Ong 3, Babor 2, Lariosa 2. /PR