Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc. wasted away a 12-point lead in the third quarter, but recovered in time to mangle last year's finalist JV Shop N' Shop, 94-81, for its first win in the 2005 Winner's League basketball tournament last Sunday at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.
In avoiding what could have been an embarrassing 0-4 start, Cokaliong Shipping displayed exemplary team effort with four players tossing in double figures led by Gilbert Gajudo, who came up with a solid double-double show.
Gajudo posted 20 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, and three steals in an all-around show, while Erwin Ngo became Cokaliong Shipping's surprise package as he charted 17 points and five rebounds on a 7-of-14 shooting from the 2-point field goal.
Top hitman Chester Cokaliong broke the strong, who was tightly guarded by John Jay Yuvallos and Brian Gabasa the entire game, submitted 14 points packed with four 3-pointers, including two in a pivotal fourth quarter, while his younger brother Christopher was equally awesome, finishing with 14 points on top of nine rebounds.
It was a close battle in the first two quarters, but Cokaliong Shipping ripped the game apart in the third canto where it mounted a 12-point edge twice, the last was at 68-56.
But JV Shop N' Shop, who felt the ill effects playing without key players Samsam Gullas and Perry Lim, refused to wave the white flag as it staged daring fightback to threaten at 70-72 on Michael Hing's basket.
However, that proved to be JV Shop's last hurrah as Gajudo and Ngo presided over an 8-0 blast to restore their double-digit lead at 80-70.
The closest JV Shop could come from the point was at 74-82 as Chester Cokaliong knocked in a pair of booming triples in between Gajudo and Ngo's baskets to give Cokaliong Shipping a 92-79 breather in the closing seconds of the game.
Head coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug fielded in 10 players and all scored for the first time as Cokaliong Shipping snapped out of its three-game losing streak - all by close decisions and in games it could have won.
Chester's son Chase had a season-high seven points that include one triple and a 2-of-3 sniping from the 2-point field goal.
JV Shop also had five players netting in twin digits but that could not match the teamwork shown by Cokaliong Shipping. Dexter So topped JV Shop with 20 points, while Hing chipped in 16 markers in a losing cause. The scores Cokaliong Shipping (94) - Gajudo 20, Ngo 17, Chester Cokaliong 14, Christopher Cokaliong 14, Chase Cokaliong 7, Gaw 7, Tolentino 5, Boholst 5, Mercado 4, Aleta 1 JV Shop (81) - So 20, Hing 16, Jacalan 14, Yuvallos 12, Hing 11, Gabasa 6, Sy 2