Sherilin survives Cokaliong in Winners' League thriller

Sherilin Plastics hung on tough at crunchtime to defeat Cokaliong Shipping Lines, 57-53, in the clash of unbeaten squads last Friday in the 2006 Winners League basketball tournament at the City Sports Club Cebu gym.

Jeremy Huang unloaded 12 of his game-high 23 points in a pivotal fourth quarter run that vaulted Sherilin Plastics to the solo second place with a 3-0 slate. Cokaliong Shipping slipped to third with a 2-1 card.

Sherilin and Cokaliong figured in a nip-and-tuck battle the entire game with neither team leading by more than six points. Also, the two protagonists were both defense-oriented resulting into the low-scoring outcome.

After racing to a 9-4 start, Cokaliong Shipping was ahead most of the way. Cokaliong was in front for the last time at 44-42 as Norman Lopez sank a booming triple that sparked an 8-0 run for a 50-44 Sherilin lead.

Cokaliong Shipping made one gallant stand to threaten at 53-54 on Gajudo's three-point play, but Huang capped his endgame brilliance with a crucial shot that gave Sherilin a 56-53 breather in the dying seconds.

After Gajudo muffed two pressure-packed free throws, Huang split his charities to seal Sherilin's third straight victory in as many starts.

Lopez tossed in all his 11 points in the second half. Erickson Ong, Richard Mercado, Jr. and Chester Go contributed 19 points combined for Sherilin.

Gajudo topped Cokaliong Shipping with 22 points, 10 in the fourth quarter, on top of 11 rebounds, while Alex Yeo added 11 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

Top hitman Chester Cokaliong had a poor shooting night after hitting 11 triples in their win over Global Carrier last October 8. He was held off to only three triples to finish with 10 points, three rebounds and a steal against Sherilin.

The other missing link was Jack Huang, father of Sherilin's top gunner Jeremy, who was handcuffed to a season-low three points.

In the other game, JV Shop N Shop went strong in the first half and then staged a fierce endgame attack to gun down the listless Castle Peak Hotel, 74-56, for its first victory in three games.

Brian Gabasa fired 19 points, while EmEm Iway and J. Antonio Olvido connived for 25 markers as JV Shop mounted a double-digit edge at halftime, 33-22.

Behind the efforts of Boylet Gillamac and Jiggy Selma, Castle Peak rallied to trim the deficit down to a single digit at the end of the third period, 42-50, but JV Shop unleashed a 24-14 spurt in the windup for the 18-point demolition.

Edmund Gaisano had 16 points for Castle Peak, while Gillamac and Samsam Gullas each had 12 markers as they further languished at the cellar with a pitiful 0-4 record.