Chester Cokaliong unloaded 10 triples of his game-high 38 points as Shell ’80s annihilated Argentina Corned Beef ’84/87/90, 100-73, in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Class ’80s, thus, closed its elimination round campaign with an 11-4 win-loss record and are assured of finishing either as third or fourth seed that will give them a twice-to-beat advantage in the next stage of the four-month tournament.
The Shell-backed squad played without reliable forward Stephen Tan but it did matter as Cokaliong stepped up bigtime as well as Ryan Alexis Mendez, who had his finest game of the season cashing in 23 points.
Chester’s younger brother Christopher added 15 points and 12 rebounds, Zotico Tan chipped in 10 points while Joel Chan scored only eight but had five assists and four rebounds for Class ’80s, which unleashed a devastating offensive in the final half to pulverize Class ’84/87/90.
Class ’80s led by only three points at halftime, 41-38, but Cokaliong and his comrades caught fire at the bend, outscoring Class ’84/87/90, 27-14 in the third and 32-21 in the fourth for the 25-point cakewalk.
Sammy Sia led Class ’84/87/90 with 25 points, Kerwin Lim netted 14 while Frederick Chua added 13 markers for their team’s 10th loss in 13 starts.
In the other game, Joseph Aljhune Areja had 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists as the Best World Lifestyle 2004 beat JV Shop n Shop ’97, 68-57, to improve its win-loss record to 9-5.
Vincent Maynard Sy and Aubrey Jones Ibones had 14 points each, while Bryan Harry Labus tossed in 12 points for Class ’97, which fell to 7-7.
BOX SCORES
1st game
Class ’80s (100) – Ches. Cokaliong 38, Mendez 23, Chris, Cokaliong 15, Z. Tan 10, Chan 8, Yu 4, Chioson 2
Class ’84/87/90 (73) – Sia 25, Lim 14, F. Chua 13, H. Chua 8, Cabellon 8, Lin 5
2nd game
Class 2004 (68) – Areja 23, Co 14, Uy 10, Hayag 7, Lim 6, Chu 3, Alvez 2, Sypongco 2, Mamac 1
Class ;97 (57) – Sy 14, Ibones 14, Labus 12, Dano 6, C. Tan 5, Poligrates 4, Uy 2. /PR