THE SALAZAR Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) Skyblazers kept their impressive run in the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Basketball Association (CBA) going as they nabbed the last ticket to the championship round after outlasting the gritty Talisay City, 92-88, in the semifinal round last Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.
Talisay, playing with just five players, made it hard for the Skyblazers and nearly pulled it off but in the end, SCSIT simply had too much firepower in their hands and went on to the victory. They will face the powerhouse Ave Maria Sanctuary and Park in the Finals.
Talisay faced an uphill battle in the first half as it fell behind by three, 43-46, at halftime. However, it came on strong in the second half and got baskets from Celso Colegado, Ferdinand Lusdoc and Alfred Belande to take a 67-65 lead.
The Skyblazers just proved to be too much to handle as they went on a 10-0 run behind Mark Abadia, Joseph Guanco, Stephen Padilla and Jimwell Torion that put them ahead, 85-80.
Talisay’s last gasp of air came when they inched closer, 86-87, with just 1:55 left in the match. But Padilla emphatically shut the door with his seventh trifecta of the game. He ended up with 25 points to lead SCSIT while Torion added 14.
Lusdoc led the other side with 27 points, Belande added 22 and John Malinao had 20 markers. Correspondent Jonas Panerio