For 2nd straight year: Cokaliong sweeps CECABA shootout

Decorated hardcourt assasin Chester C. Cokaliong snatched his first back-to-back 3-point king titles and posted a rare grandslam feat in the 2-ball contest of the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 10th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup Shootout last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

“What makes my latest triumph more sweeter is that I beat opponents over 20 years younger than me. In every competition I joined, I make it a point to always rise above the challenge,” said Cokaliong, who kept on defying Father Time with his phenomenal shooting acumen.

Cokaliong of Class ‘78 retained his 3-point crown by dominating both the elimination and championship rounds with his well-calculated sniping. He nailed 13 points in the qualifying phase and grew even hotter with 18 markers in the finals, edging out Ritzi Lloyd Tan of Class 2006 by a mile.

Tan got only eight points followed by Alvin Albano of Class ‘92 and Kent Benedict Uy of Class 2005 with seven and six, respectively.

It was Cokaliong’s third 3-point plum in CECABA - the first was in the 2004 season - and 18th overall in his career.

In the 2-ball competition, Cokaliong and Wilty Yap claimed their second straight championship. They barely made it to the final round with only 24 points in the elimination.

In the final round, however, Cokaliong and Yap hit their targets with pin-point accuracy to come up with 47 points. Jobert Cuyos and Jan Michael Yu of Class 2002 settled for second place with 34 points followed by Rex Millan and Paul Timothy So of Class ‘98-A with 25 points. Esteban Ku and Stephen Tan of Class ‘83 placed fourth with 22 points.

The win was Cokaliong’s third straight having won 2006 with partner Joselito Lee. It was also his third title alongside Yap, the first was in 2003.

Cokaliong put the proverbial icing on his victory cake by spearheading his team to the championship in the team category of the 3-point shootout. Cokaliong, Nelson Palomas, Edvin Kaw, Johnny Ku, and Wilty Yap lorded it over with 10 points.

Ralph Victor Yap, Junwyn Dy, Nolsie John Cisneros, Ritzi Lloyd Tan, and Carlo Tan of Class 2006 finished second with seven points, while Gerald Chua, Rex Alinson, Dreyfuss Ang, Rogelio Donayre, and Shaun Christopher Tan of Class ‘96 landed at third with four points.

Alexander Peña of Class 2001 stole part of the limelight by dethroning Rex Millan of Class ‘98-A to emerge as the new free-throw shooting champion. It was an ironic loss for Millan, who topped the elimination by hitting 23 straight free throws.