Class '96 posts second straight victory in CECABA

Defending champion Big Boss '96 overcame a spirited resistance by Hannah's Cakes and Decors 2004 at the endgame to hack out a 67-62 victory and go 2-0 in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association's 8th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

Emmanuel Baron netted 18 points and Arnel Frank Pelaez scored 13 as Class '96 stretched its winning streak to two while dealing Class 2004 its first defeat in three starts.

Class '96, which hardly felt the absence of its big men in Shaun Christopher Wang and Bryan Renejane, toiled hard in the first three quarters to pile up huge lead and wisely used it as a shield to rebuff Class 2004's furious assault in the windup.

Class '96 headed into the final quarter with a 12-point advantage, 54-42, and was never threatened despite being outscored by Class 2004, 20-13, in that stretch.

Christian Espada posted a game-high 20 points, while Danel Hayag added 17 markers, but their combined efforts went to waste as Class 2004 saw its two-game win roll come to a sudden stop.

Earlier, Stephen Tan fired 20 points and two others cashed in double figures as Chester Enterprises '67/83 battered Greenhills Quality Feeds '86/90, 64-52, for its first victory of the season.

The ageless Zotico Tan carded in 12 points and Cesar Ting chipped in 11 markers for Class '67/83, which never looked back after mounting a 34-23 edge at halftime.

Class '86/90 pulled within 42-46 at the end of the third period, but Clas s'67/83 went on to wrap up the 12-point romp using an 18-10 blast in the payoff period.

Israel Sang and Genesis Chua had 15 points apiece for Class '86/90, which absorbed its second straight defeat in as many games.

The scores

First game

Class '67/83 (64) - S. Tan 20, Z. Tan 12, Ting 11, Cokaliong 5, Lim 4, R. Yu 4, Calagos 4, Co 2, Ku 2

Classs '86/90 (52) - Sang 15, Chua 15, Borromeo 9, Chua 7, Borromeo 3, Uy 2, Fabian 1

Second game

Class '96 (67) - Baron 18, Pelaez 13, G. Go 8, Donayre 8, Babor 7, Ong 5, Ang 4, Alinson 3

Class 2004 (62) - Espada 20, Hayag 17, Uy 8, Sypongco 8, Mamac 3, Areja 3, Co 3