CECABA All-Stars, JBA reach Execs Cup semis

After barely missing a share of the All-Star MVP honors, Chester Cokaliong put up another one big show.

Cokaliong knocked in six 3-pointers of his topscoring 20 points, even as four others dished out double figures as the CECABA All-Stars freezed Punta Princesa Sports Association (PPSA)-I Coller Marketing, 89-71, to reach the 2006 Executives Cup basketball semifinals on Thursday as the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

Later, the Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA)-Purcia Transport/Crunchiken found Club Monday-Gatorade a tough costumer to handle this time, nevertheless dodged the upset axe via a hard-earned 74-69 decision to complete the four-team semifinal cast.

Joining the CECABA All-Stars and JBA into the semis are topseed San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA) and Team Barkada.

Interestingly, the CECABA All-Stars march into the penultimate round as the underdog considering that they lost to the three other semifinalists during the elimination phase.

Cokaliong, who also had two steals and a rebound, got huge backing from Stephen Tan with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists followed by Wilson Yu with 14 points, 11 rebounds and four assists in a slendid show of hardcourt savvy.

Peppery guard Joel Chan was in his usual decisive form, finishing just a two assists shy from another triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, while Richard Yu chipped in 11 markers, seven rebounds and three assists for the CECABA All-Stars.

Unlike in their previous meeting that resulted into 104-66 blowout, the CECABA All-Stars had a hard time pulling away from PPSA in the first three quarters until Cokaliong and Stephen Tan conspired for 20 points in a furious 29-19 endgame run to seal the 18-point romp.

In the other game, Archie Coros posted 25 points and James Lloyd Noel banged in 18 markers to help JBA avert what could have been one of the biggest upsets this season.

Club Monday mounted a gallant stand most of the way and even threatened at 67-69, but JBA made a 5-2 blitz in the closing seconds of the game to march into the next round without hitch.

The scores

First game

CECABA All-Stars (89) - Cokaliong 20, S. Tan 15, W. Yu 14, Chan 13, R. Yu 11, Sia 6, Cokaliong 5, E. Yu 3, R. Yu 2

PPSA Selection (71) - Ortega 22, Hernandez 17, Arellano 14, Espinoza 13, Lim 3, Mosqueda 2

Second game

JBA Selection (74) - Coros 25, Noel 18, Jayme 13, Odulio 9, Cortes 5, Chua 4

Club Monday (69) - Seno 22, Alfreche 21, Macasero 10, Fernandez 4, Montuerto 4, Bacatan 4, Ponay 2, Monterroyo 2