LISO, CECABA All-Stars start final battle this pm

The unbeaten Liloanon Sports Organization (LISO) selection seeks to move one step closer towards fulfilling its back-to-back title bid when it squares off against the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA) All-Stars in the series opener of the best-of-three 2005 Executive's Cup basketball finals tonight at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym. LISO is the odds on favorite when it tackles the CECABA All-Stars in the main dish at 9 pm, right after last year's runner-up Club Monday battles San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association for the third place trophy in a winner-take-all affair.

Games today
7:30 pm SCBHABA vs. Club Monday
9:00 pm LISO vs. CECABA

All-Stars

LISO served early notice of its serious title defense when it slammed the CECABA stars, 104-92, in a match considered as their finals preview to advance into the championship round with an intimidating 10-0 win-loss card.

In the other non-bearing match last Sunday, SCBHABA devastated Club Monday, 122-80, to record the most lopsided win tournament supported by Osaka Iridology and Manang Gina's Lutuing Bahay in cooperation with Imports Unlimited, Sunsport, Gloria Jean's Coffees-Banilad Town Centre and Grand Gemini Ventures Corp.

LISO toyed on the absence of CECABA's big men Sammy Sia and Wilson Yu, who came very late, to dictate the tempo of the match with a 14-pointlead, 33-19, at the end of the first quarter.

Sia and Yu both started to play in the second canto, but could't help pull the CECABA out of the deep hole the rest of the way.

Joseph Torlao led LISO selection with 21 points, while Dalmacio Maglasang, Jr. and Paulino Cañete III chipped in 17 and 12 markers, respectively.

Chester Cokaliong had a fine-shooting night, hitting 9-of-23 from the 3-point land to finish with 31 points, while Sia, Edvin Kaw, and Joel Chan combined for 45 points, 35 rebounds and 19 assists in a losing cause.

Later in the day, SCBHABA fought an inspired game and ripped the game apart with an imposing 29-point bulge, 91-62, after three quarters. The rest was history.

Edwin Banaag led SCBHABA with 32 points, while Virgil Pua and Jonathan Diaz cashed in 27 and 17 markers.

Andres Seno scattered 29 points for Club Monday, which fought without key players Carlito Macasero and Demosthenes Alfeche.

First game
SCBHABA (122) - Banaag 32, Pua 27, Diaz 17, Amores 14, Wong 12, Monsanto 11, Sepe 6, Aznar 3
Club Monday (80) - Seno 29, Sepe 23, Tabucanon 8, Navarro 8, Reyes 7, Halili 3, Monterroyo 2

Second game
LISO (104) - Torlao 21, Maglasang 17, Cañete 12, Soliman 9, Bio 8, Desiderio 7, Bantilan 6, Pepito 6, Ybañez 4, Jugalbot 4, Fernandez 4, Del Mar 4, Oncines 2
CECABA (92) - Cokaliong 31, Kaw 18, Sia 15, Chan 12, Tan 6, Dy 6, Yu 2, Cimafranca 2