WITH their backs against the wall, the defending champions Teletech Titans and the Lexmark Stallions played with sense of urgency and sent the semifinal series of the 2011 Powerade E-League for Basketball to a sudden-death affair last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu Gym.
The Titans kept their title-retention bid alive by downing the number one seed Stream Blue Devils, 68-54, while the Stallions staved off elimination by beating the Convergys Wolves, 76-66.
Stream and Convergys came out triumphant in the series openers but both started low in Game 2, allowing their opponents to forge Game 3.
The sudden-death matches were still being played as of press time at the same venue.
Sherwin Emmanuelle Resilla and Christian Rez both scored 18 points, while Lourenz Limpangog had 10 for the Titans.
Getting solid efforts from Franco Angelo Cipriano, Mervin Balansag and Seigfred Ofonda, who scored 20, 16 and points respectively, the Stallions took off to a quick start and led, 25-10 after the first period. The Wolves bounced back in the second with a 26-9 assault but the Stallions answered with a 21-14 tear in the third to escape with the win. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA