Xlibris snaps four-game skid in CSCC E-League

CEBU, Philippines - Sergs Al Go Bui fired 21 points on top of seven rebounds and two assists as the Xlibris Publishers slammed the JP Morgan Bankers, 81-61, to finally barge into the win column of the Sun Cellular-presented 8th CSCC E-League men's basketball tournament last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

Elgiel Melgar added a dozen markers packed with nine rebounds and two assists for Xlibris, which battered the hapless JP Morgan cagers right after the first period, 26-14. The Publishers closed the first half with 17-point advantage, 46-29.

JP Morgan rallied back with a 22-11 spurt in the third period to trim the deficit down to only six points, 51-57, but Xlibris closed the match with a blistering 24-10 run to snap out of its four-game losing streak.

Jonathan Zaragoza topped JP Morgan with 17 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Joel Anthony Obungen and Cesar Daamo connived for 25 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals but their efforts were to no avail as JP Morgan crashed to its seventh loss against only one win.

In the other games, the Accenture Sharks bounced back from a previous defeat with a 79-62 whacking of the Teleperformance Lions, while SSI Pure Science zapped the Eli Global Underdogs, 101-58.

Jasper Loreto scattered 21 points and Ryan Edward Llanos added 16 for Accenture, which used a decisive final-half assault to improve its win-loss record to 5-1 in complete reverse of the 1-5 Teleperformance.

After a 40-all standoff at halftime, Accenture launched a 21-10 rally in the third quarter to take full control of the match.

On the other hand, Dennis Daniel Poquita and Rhett Romeo Tomakin shone brightly as SSI Pure Science chalked up its fourth victory in six starts. They finished with 16 points each and had six rebounds, six assists and four steals combined.

Renejohn Lacsamana chipped in 15 points and Rex Alinson added 13 markers, three assists and two steals for SSI, which detonated a devastating bomb in the final two quarters to blow off Eli Global.

With the score tied at 39-all, SSI unloaded a 32-12 run in the third canto and then closed the game with another furious 30-7 blast to come up with a 43-point cakewalk.

Ryan Zear Lauro pumped in a game-high 34 points and four steals but his singular offensive outburst proved futile as Eli Global is still mired at the cellar of Southern Conference with a woeful 1-7 record.

The scores

First game

Xlibris (81) - Go Bui 21, Melgar 12, Tan 9, Tangalin 9, Mosquera 9, Salcedo 8, Colmenares 6, Nocos 5, Quirante 2

JP Morgan (61) - Zaragoza 17, Obungen 13, Daamo 12, Cabanday 8, Chua 6, Quiaoit 3, Lehaney 2

Second game

SSI (101) - Poquita 16, Tomakin 16, Lacsamana 15, Alinson 13, Gabutin 10, Lepaopao 7, Peliño 6, Campaña 5, Ardiente 4, Auditor 4, Impoc 3, Español 2

Eli Global (58) - Lauro 34, Ricarde 13, Bartulin 7, Pobre 2, Fernandez 2

Third game

Accenture (79) - Loreto 21, Llanos 16, Orat 11, Suerte 7, Padernos 5, Diaz 4, Buligan 4, Lachica 2, Masancay 2, Natavio 2, Permacio 2, Saballa 2, Abesia 1

Teleperformance (62) - Petallo 14, Real 13, Canoy 11, Isada 10, Abella 5, Coronado 4, Padigos 3, Beltran 2-0-