LISO selection marches into semis unbeaten in Executive's Cup hoop

The defending champion Liloanon Sports Organization (LISO) ousted the Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA), 112-91, to complete a seven-game elimination round sweep in the 2005 Executive's Cup basketball tournament on Tuesday night at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

In the other game, Edwin Banaag scattered a season-high 44 points on top of seven assists and five rebounds as San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA) blasted Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association (SHABA) selection, 99-68, to clinch the No.3 spot with a 5-2 win-loss spot.

Club Monday also had a 5-2 slate, but grabbed the No.2 slot by virtue of a simple tie.

Abner Desiderio charted 29 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Edger Ybañez tossed in 26 points on top of 13 rebounds for LISO, which squandered a 20-point lead in the second quarter, but recovered in time to advance into the semifinals without defeat.

LISO was ahead 21-11, but JBA, facing no tomorrow, unleashed a daring fight-back in the next two quarters to chop the deficit down to only three, 89-92, at the final 4:59 mark of the contest.

That was the best the JBA could muster as Joseph Torlao fired eight straight points to bail LISO out of danger.

Torlao poured in 12 of his 13 points in the final quarter. Renato Jugalbot added 14 points, while Paulino Cañete III also had 13 markers.

Peter Michael and Chris Sta. Maria both had a monster game, combining for 53 points for the JBA chargers, who would have breezed through the next round and eliminated the CECABA All-Stars had they upset LISO.

JBA's loss paved the way for the CECABA All-Stars to grab the fourth and last semifinal berth with a 4-3 win-loss card. The CECABA stars would have emerged as the No.2 seed had it not been for their shocking setback to JBA.

Earlier, Banaag was backed up by Virgil Pua with 14 points and Roque Amores and Dean Wong, who combined for 20 points, 18 rebounds and three assists for SCBHABA.

In the semis, which will start on September 20, the four teams play a single round robin format with the standings in the elimination round being carried over.

The All-Stars Game is slated on September 18, while the different shooting contests are scheduled either on October 2 or 9.

STANDINGS
End of elimination round
TEAM W L
LISO selection 7 0
Club Monday 5 2
SCBHABA 5 2
CECABA All-Stars 4 3
JBA selection 3 4
CECABA selection 2 5
SHABA selection 1 6
Guardo-Rama Boys 1 6

First game
SCBHABA (99) - Banaag 44, Pua 14, Wong 10, Amores 10, Diaz 8, Aznar 4, Monsanto 4, Ramos 3, Diaz 2
SHABA (68) - H. Lim 12, Carcel 11, Tio 10, Lee 10, Divinagracia 8, Tan 5, G. Lim 5, Siao 4, Casas 3
Second game
LISO (112) - Desiderio 29, Ybañez 26, Jugalbot 14, Torlao 13, Cañete 13, Oncines 7, Soliman 6, Fernandez 4
JBA (91) - P. Sta. Maria 28, C. Sta. Maria 25, Corros 21, Tolentino 5, Lin 4, Balbuena 2, Chua 2, Purcia 2, Tongco 2