Inayawan dribblers stop Pardo in Conor cagefest

CEBU, Philippines – The barangay Inayawan dribblers needed to do fourth quarter finishing touches to secure a 96-86 win over their neighbor from barangay Pardo and claimed the top spot after the double round elimination of the Conor Cup Invitational basketball tournament at the Mambaling Sports Complex.

Inayawan handily won despite the absence of skipper Robert Abasolo as the scoring vacuum he left was ably filled up by Victor Bacalso Jr., who top scored with 17 points even while four other teammates also turned in double figures - Yester Daculan, Joseph Guangco, Baltazar Jueves and Sammy Cabrera.

The smaller Pardo cagers kept close throughout the first three periods, but playing without a legitimate center, they fell prey in the final canto. The closest they could muster was at five points, 63-68, on Vergel Abelong's basket, with 1:10 to go in the third quarter.

It was also Abelong, who led Pardo's losing cause with 23 points while veteran point guard Ope Abellana cashed in 15 points.

Inayawan finished as the top qualifier with a 4-2 win-loss record and will have a rematch against the fourth-seed Pardo (1-5) tomorrow. The former has a twice-to-beat incentive in the crossover semifinals.

Guadalupe, which also finished with a 4-2 win-loss record but lost in a simple tie against Inayawan, finished as the no. 2 qualifier and has a twice-to-beat advantage against third-seed San Nicolas (3-3), which is led by the formidable trio of Danny Aying, Reyland Jumalon and Rene Toring.

In the preliminary, sitio Lawis, led by the tandem of Michael Sumayang and Joseph Lausa, defeated the sitio Avocado-ERCO, 94-92 in a goodwill match.

Sumayang fired 32 markers and Lausa had 21 points.

The sponsoring Conor Cargo Forwarders is managed by Olive Paraguas. The commissioner is Danny Duran, who is also the deputy commissioner of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI). (THE FREEMAN)