Kaw scores 32 as Shell '78/85 whips Class 2007 in CECABA

CEBU, Philippines - Reliable center/forward Edvin Kaw pumped in a season-high 32 points and Chester Cokaliong scored all of his 30 points from the 3-point land as Shell ‘78/85 hammered out an 85-73 victory over JRJ Enterprises/Semers 2007 in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 11th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup on Thursday night at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

Kaw, who shot a spectacular 16-of-23 from the field, also finished with 10 rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Cokaliong added four rebounds and two assists for Class ‘78/85, which firmed up its grip of the Division I lead with only one defeat in a dozen games.

Wilson Yu contributed 14 points and six rebounds for the Shell-backed squad, while explosive guard Joel Chan scored only two but recorded a league all-time high 21 assists, breaking his own mark of 18 feeds in a single game. Chan also hauled down 13 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season.

Capitalizing on its vast experience, Class ‘78/85 built an 11-point lead at halftime, 45-34. Class 2007 rallied back in the third period to pull within just four points, 62-66, but Class ‘78/85 went back to business in the final quarter with a 19-11 rally, thus, the 12-point romp.

Three Class 2007 players dished out double-double but they couldn’t celebrate fully as they dropped to 4-6. Juan Carlo Espada finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals, Raymark Ryan Ong had 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Howard Haw added 11 points and 14 rebounds in a losing cause.

In the other game, The First Family Appliance ‘87/94 evened its win-loss card to 5-5 after escaping with a 59-57 victory over Young Builders ‘91.

Class ‘87/94 trailed by six after three quarters, 38-44, but closed the game with a 21-13 bang to stun Class ‘91 at the final buzzer.

Bronson Peña scattered 15 points and six rebounds for Class ‘87/94 followed by Henrich Chua with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Tommy Yu was the lone double digit scorer with 20 points for Class ‘91, which fell to 5-6.

The scores

First game

Class ‘78/85 (85) - Kaw 32, Cokaliong 30, W. Yu 14, Tio 5, Chan 2, Yap 2

Class 2007 (73) - Espada 19, Ong 18, Haw 11, Dy 9, So 8, Quimpo 5, Chu 3

Second game

Class ‘87/94 (59) - Peña 15, H. Chua 12, A. Chua 7, Jao 7, W. Yu 6, Quilacio 6, Beldeniza 3, J. Lim 3   

Class ‘91 (57) - Yu 20, Borromeo 9, De la Torre 8, E. Go 8, C. Go 6, Ty 5, Tan 1. – EBV (THE FREEMAN)