SCSIT hands Ave Maria first loss in CBA caging

CEBU, Philippines - Defending champion Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology (SCSIT) Skyblazers quickly bounced back from a previous defeat and vented their wrath on the previously undefeated Ave Maria Sanctuary Park, 111-107, in the continuing action of the 2nd Cebu Basketball Association-M.Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Mayor’s Cup at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today

Cebu Coliseum

2 pm SWU vs. SCSIT

4 pm ACT vs. ThreeSixty

6 pm Rollway vs.

Ave Maria

The Skyblazers, who suffered a stingy 87-104 loss to the Asian College of Technology (ACT) Cyber Knights last Wednesday night, now joined their victim atop the leaderboard with similar 3-1 win-loss records.

SCSIT of coach Jojo Romarate relied on their streak-shooting forward Mark Abadia, who helped the team post a five-point lead at the end of the third period, 85-80.

The two protagonists figured in an air-tight due in the final canto, with Ave Maria's top gun Jercules Tangkay canning 10 straight points to tie the game, 94-all, with still 5:27 left to play.

A see-saw battle further ensued resulting into several deadlocks and lead changes. Although SCSIT was dictating the pace, the gritty Ave Maria kept breathing down their necks.

The score was knotted for the last time at 106-all on three free throws by Dale Singson and Abadia in the final 52.7 seconds as Labares countered with a put-back to put SCSIT on top, 108-106, with only 22 seconds to go.

In the ensuing sequence, Tangkay split his charities to put Ave Maria within a hairline, 107-108, but Labares completed his endgame heroics by knocking in a crucial jumper to give SCSIT a 110-107 breather

with only 10 ticks left int he gameclock.

Things didn’t turn the way Ave Maria want it to be as they failed to convert in their position. Worse, Ian Saladaga was called with a technical foul in the last four seconds.

Labares converted one free throw to peg the final count. He finished with 21 points, but it was Abadia who topscored for SCSIT with 27 markers as Singson chipped in with 14.

Tangkay led Ave Maria with 27 points followed by Danny Aying with 20 and Saladaga 17.

The scores

SCSIT (111) – Abadia 27, Labares 21, Singson 14, Caputolan 12, Berami 10, Torion 9, Galinato 8, Saguindel 2, Omolon 2

Ave Maria (109) – Tangkay 27, Aying 20, Saladaga 17, Cortes 10, Cainglet 10, Cantonao 9, Esperat 6, Defino 4, Amores 2, De la Pisa 2

Quarterscores: 27-33, 59-67, 85-80, 111-107 (FREEMAN)