Cokaliong, Yu lift Class ‘80s to victory

Games today

(City Sports Club)

7 p.m. Class ’80s vs. 2003

9:30 p.m. 1988 vs. 1995

Streak-shooter Chester Cokaliong scored 24 points, but steady Wilson Yu grabbed his share of the spotlight after hitting the game-clincher in Shell ’80s nerve-wracking, 54-53 win over the gritty Dewfoam ’88 in the semifinal round of the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Tuesday night at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

Despite being hounded by Dewfoam’s porous defense all throughout the match, Cokaliong squeezed his way out to can six triples and go 4-of-8 from the stripe. The big-hearted league founder and incumbent president also scattered 11 of the team’s 14-point output in the third quarter that kept their heads above the water in the face of Dewfoam’s spirited resistance.

“It was really a huge win for us. Had we lost, it could have been a big heart-breaker because we were leading most of the way,” said Cokaliong.

The third seeded Shell ’80s seemed in full control, leading by as much as 13 points, 22-9, at the end of the first period.

However, the fifth-ranked Class ’88 crawled to within two points, 26-28. But Shell ’80s restored a nine-point edge, 42-33, on two free throws by Cokaliong with less than a minute left in the third.

Shell ’80s, however, suffered an offensive meltdown in the fourth, allowing Dewfoam ’88 to tie the count at 51-all and eventually seize the upperhand, 53-51, on Gregorio Aguilar’s twin gift shots.

In the ensuing sequence, Chan was fouled, but the versatile guard only split his charities for a 52-53 count.

Lady Luck however, still smiled on Shell ’80s as Wilson Yu got the offensive rebound, then quickly scored a crucial shot underneath the basket that put Shell ’80s on top by a hairline, 54-53.

With 14 seconds left, Dewfoam ’88 still had chance to either steal the win or forge an overtime, but Erwin Yu wasted a lot of time before passing the ball to center Ricky Yu, who missed his undergoal stab as time expired.

Ernest Tanting paced Dewfoam ’88 with 16 points, including 12 in the final period. Aguilar had 11 points, while Yu nailed 11 markers in a losing cause.

In the other game, Rogelio Donayre had 14 points, while Rushmarc Lariosa and Gerald Chua each scored 12 markers as the No.2 seed First Family Appliance Circle ’96 tallied its first semifinal win against fourth-ranked Dimsum Frito 2003, 58-43.

Joey Catipay scored 19 points for Class 2003, which slumped to its second straight defeat.

BOX SCORES

First game

Class ’80s (54) – Ches. Cokaliong 24, Chan 10, S. Tan 9, Yu 7, Mendez 2, Ting 1, Z. Tan 1

Class ’88 (53) – Tanting 16, Aguilar 11, Yu 10, Po 7, Dy 4, Ng 4, R. Lim 1

Second game

Class ’96 (58) – Donayre 14, Lariosa 12, Chua 12,  Wang 10, babor 8, Alinson 2

Class 2003 (43) – Catipay 19, Yankee 10, Ang 4, W. Tan 4, Uy 2, C. Ciao 2, Lague 2.  /PR