CEBU, Philippines – Alfred Belande scored 26 points as Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras eliminated AC Sports, 83-80, in the 1st Vice Mayor Rudy Espinoza Cup last Friday at the Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City.
With the withdrawal of the C&B Shipping, the Cobras topped Group B with a clean 3-0 slate. They will face next the Asian College of Technology (ACT) Cyber Knights in Game 1 of the best-of-three semifinals beginning Wednesday.
Tonight, the CCC-CSD Builders of coach Boboy Cal will take on in Ave Maria Sanctuary Park/USJ-R Jaguars, who paced Group A without loss in three games.
Aside from Belande, star guard Aard Diango and Ritchie Jalandoni came to the rescue for the Cobras with 23 points combined.
AC Sports hired the services of M. Lhuillier mainstay Gerry Cavan to bolster its campaign but to no avail. Cavan finished with 18 points but it was Ricky Labajo who topped AC Sports with 21 markers. Rene Toring donated 10 points in a losing cause.
The other double-digit scorer for AC Sports was Allen Abayata, a beanpole who formerly played for the Cebu Niños in the 1st Inter-City Cup two years ago, with 17 points.
The Espinosa Cup is supervised by Toledo City Councilor Jun Borja assisted by tournament director Estong Jaranilla and technical committee chief Edwin Dejacto.
The scores
SWU (83) — Belande 21, Diango 13, Jalandoni 10, Pacquiao 9, Armecin 7, Pria 7, Poligrates 5, Gallarde 4, Divinagracia 2
AC Sports (80) — Labajo 21, Cavan 18, Abayata 17, Toring 10, Caparas 7, Daculan 5, Espinoza 2 – GGM (THE FREEMAN)