CEBU, Philippines - Two-time champion Roadstar/Castrol ’96 banked on its vast experience and maturity to hand RJX Transport Solutions ’99 its first defeat of the season via a 66-48 rout in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 11th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Tuesday evening at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Arniel Frank Pelaez netted a season-high 22 points and Rex Alinson added 17 for Class ’96, which kept Class ’99 at bay since getting off to a hot 14-4 start.
There was no stopping Class ’96 as it went on to mount an imposing 22-point bulge at the end of the third period, 52-30. The rest was history.
Class ’96, thus, improved its win-loss record to 4-1, while Class ’99 saw its five-game winning streak come to a sudden red stop. Mark Eugene Bukiron was the lone double-digit scorer for the RJX Transport-backed squad with 17 points.
In the other game, Donald Anthony Ting fired 21 points as Centennial Hardware ’95 crushed Young Builders ’91, 79-63. Class ’95 now holds a 4-2 win-loss record, while Class ’91 slumped to 1-3.
Dean Dy Teves chipped in 15 points and Jeffrey Tanchunbing scored a dozen for Class ’95, which wobbled Class ’91 with its explosive opening assault, 22-7. The lead grew to as much as 20 points at halftime, 42-22, leaving Class ’99 in the dark the rest of the way.
Tommy Yu topscored for Class ’91 with 21 points followed by Kevin Co with 18 markers.
The scores
First game
Class ’96 (66) - Pelaez 22, Alinson 17, Lariosa 7, Ang 6, G. Chua 5, Donayre 4, Ong 4, A. Chua 1
Class ’99 (48) - Bukiron 17, Uy 8, Yap 6, Balila 4, See 4, Tan 4, Lauron 2, Ang 2, Sia 1
Second game
Class ’95 (79) - Ting 21, Dy Teves 17, J. Tan 12, Yu 9, Gollon 7, Gue 6, Chica 5, Gerson 2
Class ’91 (63) - Yu 22, Co 18, Lim 7, Borromeo 5, Tan 5, Ty 3, E. Go 3 – EBV (THE FREEMAN)