Echo raps Charlie, grabs CEKALCO solo lead

ECHO Team grabbed the solo lead in the standings after bagging its fifth win in seven games following its, 87-66 bashing of Charlie last  Friday night in the ongoing Center Katipunan A. Lopez Christian Organization (CEKALCO)-2012 summer basketball tournament at sitio A. Lopez open court in barangay Labangon, Cebu City.

Echo got a slim, 19-18 edge in the opening period but widened its lead to 11 points, 45-34 to rule the half with Kenneth Beltran and Ritchie Villarosa leading the charge.

Echo continued to hammer Charlie in the third and padded its advantage to over 20 points on several occasions.

Beltran and Villarosa led Echo with 17 and 15 points, respectively, while the trio of Danny Desoyo, Raul Cabalda and Nolet Tabasa finished with 11 points each.

Robert Bistis paced Charlie – which dropped to 3-4,  with a night-high 34 points.

Earlier, underdog Alpha upset Presidential team Bravo, 92-91 to improve its record to 2-4 while the latter dropped to second behind Echo with a, 4-3 record.

The two teams engaged in an air-tight battle that featured several deadlocks and lead changes until Alpha’s Dony Panugaling stole the ball from Bravo’s Nelson Solana which led to an undergoal stab that lifted Alpha to the hairline win.

Dony Panugaling powered Alpha with a game-high 21 points while George Aspera and Edward Tenchavez added 20 points apiece. Michael Castro and Nelson Solana paced Bravo with 18 and 16 markers, respectively.

BOX SCORES

ALPHA (92)- Panugaling 21, Tenchavez 20, Aspera 20, Sinag 13, Perino 12, Sirena 6.

BRAVO (91)- Castro 18, Solana 16, Gonzaga 12, Amahan 12, Billones 12, Desoyo 11, Sameon 10.

2nd game

ECHO (87)- Beltran 17, Villarosa 15, Da. Desoyo 11, Cabalda 11, Tabasa 11, Templa 10, Basay 6, Manlimos 6.

CHARLIE (66)- Bistis 34, Bacho 11, Panugaling 11, Di. Elmido 5, Do. Elmido 3, Lanticse 2. /Correspondent Dale Rosal