Class 2000 shocks '94 in CECABA

Banking on John Bryan Lo's monster game, JRJ Enterprises 2000 pulled off its biggest upset win so far as it dealt Dendramil Merchandizing '94 its first defeat of the season, 75-71, in overtime in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association's 8th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup on Tuesday at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

Lo was as sharp as a double-edge sword, strafing in a season-high 29 points on top of 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in a virtuoso performance that sealed Class 2000's fifth victory in eight starts.

Rodnie Ocarol also had his fair share of the accolade as he poured in six of his 18 points in the extra-period that saved the day for Class 2000. He also had five steals and dished out two assists. Michael Lloyd Tan donated 12 points and five rebounds.

Lo and Ocarol, who shot 17-of-21 combined from the charity lane, orchestrated a daring 18-9 fightback in the second quarter that turned their 17-19 deficit into a 35-28 advantage at halftime.

Class '94 regained its lead after three quarters, 52-48, but Class 2000 mounted a spirited resistance in the final quarter to forge a 65-all standoff, thus, sending the game into overtime.

Lo toned down offensively in the extension, but fortunately Ocarol still has some reserved energy to bail them out of danger.

The dreaded one-two punch of Wellington Yu and Anwar Satina again performed remarkably, but staggered in the end as Class '94 saw its six-game winning run come to a sudden red-stop leaving Class '96 as the only undefeated team this season.

Yu fired 21 points, 21 rebounds, and five assists, while Satina also had 21 points on top of 10 assists and eight rebounds for Class '94. Anthony Chua added 12 points and Stanley Gaw had 10 markers and seven rebounds in a losing cause.

In the other game, Techni-Ice 2001 played cool on both ends of the court to outsmart Gregoria's Curtains and Trims Haus 2005, 84-71. It was Class 2001's only second triumph in seven games.

After Class 2001 bombarded a 22-10 run after the first 10 minutes of play, there was no doubt as to which team will emerge the victor. Class 2001 proved it as it was never threatened from that point on.

After several lackluster showing, Paul Martin Gabatan came out of his shell to scatter a season-best 24 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Marlon Lao chipped in 20 points and 12 rebounds. Eric Cabana contributed 17 points and nine rebounds.

Kent Uy and Philip Lua connived for 40 points, but that was not enough to prevent the youngest competing graduates from crashing to their seventh consecutive loss in as many games.

The scores

First game

Class 2001 (84) - Gabatan 24, Lao 20, Cabana 17, Liao 14, Ong 4, Macias 3, Peña 2

Class 2005 (71) - Uy 21, Lua 19, Lee 10, Ramiro 10, Angcay 6, Tiu 5

Second game

Class 2000 (75) - Lo 29, Ocarol 18, Tan 12, Lausa 5, Kua 5, Chua 4, Ong 2

Class 1994 (71) - W. Yu 21, Satina 21, A. Chua 12, Gaw 10, Go 4, Bejer 3