NM Hardware ‘95, Jepoy ’99 zap foes in CECABA opener

CEBU, Philippines - New Millennium Hardware '95 and Jepoy '99 got off to flying starts, albeit in contrasting fashion in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association's 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Donald Anthony Ting fired 22 points as NM Hardware '95 slammed Dewfoam '88, 64-50, while Mark Eugene Bukiron turned himself into a one-man wrecking crew, cashing in 28 points on top of 14 rebounds as Jepoy '99 escaped with a 52-46 win over Young Builders '91.

Ting, who also had five assists, four rebounds, four steals, and two blocks, scored the game's first four points as Class '95 raced to an 8-0 start. He later sank a 3-pointer to pad their lead to 11-2.

Behind the efforts of Ricky Yu, Robert Lim and Philip Khan Lim, Class '88 crawled within four points at halftime, 28-32, but Ting sparked another sizzling run by Class '95 to post a double-digit egge, 46-34, heading into the final 10 minutes of the contest.

Raymond Gollon and Joseph Jigger Arjona opened the final period with back-to-back hits to hand Class '95 its biggest lead at 17 points, 51-34.

Gollon finished with 13 points, while Dean Dy Teves chipped in 12 markers, four rebounds and four blocks for Class '95.

Ernest Tan Ting paced Class '88 with 16 points followed by Gregorio Aguilar, Jr. with 14 points and seven rebounds.

In the nightcap, Class '99 and Class '91 figured in closely-fought battle right from the start with neither team leading by more than five points.

Class '91 even enjoyed a four-point headway, 44-40, late in the last period, but Class '99 replied with a 7-0 blitz to wrest the upperhand, 47-44, on a five-point swing by Bukiron.

Class '91 threatened for the last time at 46-47 as Class '99 went on to nail the game's final five points.

Chester Benedict Go was the lone double-digit scorer for Class '91 with 13 points that went along with nine rebounds, two assists and two steals in a losing effort.

In the season-opener, Chester Cokaliong unloaded all his 27 points from the 3-point land as Pilipinas Shell '80s trounced 3R Audio '98, 96-64.

The scores

First game

Class '80s (96) - Ches. Cokaliong 27, W. Yu 18, Chris. Cokaliong 14, S. Tan 14, Z. Tan 10, Mendez 6, R. Co 2, E. Lim 2, S. Co 1, Lim 1, Chan 1

Class '98 (64) - Millan 20, Evangelista 12, E. So 10, Yap 8, P. So 8, Co 2, Cañete 2, Lim

Second game

Class '95 (64) - Ting 22, Gollon 13, Dy Teves 12, Yu 8, Arjona 8, Tiu 1

Class '88 (50) - TanTing 16, Aguilar 14, R. Yu 9, R. Lim 6, P. Lim 3, E. Yu 2

Third game

Class '99 (52) - Bukiron 28, Tan 7, Miranda Sy 6, See 3, Lua 2, Sia 2, Abayan 2, Tan 2

Class '91 (46) - C. Go 13, Yu 6, J. Lim 6, De la Torre 6, Go 6, Borromeo 4, Co 3, Crisologo 2