Batua shines as Sharks swallow Converters

CEBU, Philippines – Archie Batua unloaded 27 points and hauled 12 rebounds to power the Accenture Sharks past the Convergys Converters, 66-60, in the 11th CSCC E-League men's basketball tournament last Saturday at the City Sports Club Cebu gym.

Ildefonso Bulangis, Jr. added 14 points laced with four rebounds and two assists as the Sharks bettered their win-loss record to 4-2 in a tie with their victims.

The Sharks actually trailed by three points after three quarters, 46-49, but closed the match with a 20-11 bang to stun the Converters at the final buzzer.

Lourenz Limpangog paced the Converters with 15 points, while Brothers Franz Dione and Kenneth Dysam connived for 28 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and five steals in a losing effort.

In the other Elite Classic match, the SSI Warriors rode on sparkling 29-point show by Lawrence Daven Agas to whip the ePerformax Reds, 81-70, in overtime.

Agas also had nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, while Dennis Noel Poquita added 15 points on top of seven steals, four rebounds and three assists for the Warriors,  who gamely recovered after being down 10 points at halftime, 28-38. After forging an overtime, the Warriors still gathered enough steam to outscore the Reds in the extra five-minute period, 19-8.

Joel Nebria led the Reds with 17 points, eight rebounds and three steals followed by Rius Anthony Agua with 13 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Floyd Dean Singco also finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks in an all-around show, albeit for a losing cause.

In the Evo League, Ralph Belarmino sparkled with a season-best 32 points laced with 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals as the 24/7 Cagers slammed the Contact Solutions, 85-62, while Sam Jordan Hermosa erupted with 28 points, 10 rebounds and four steals in Telstra Boomerangs' 107-66 demolition of the 1&1 Marauders.

Dennis Buhay added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Lex Lauron nailed 13 markers and passed out six assists for the Cagers, who were in full control after jumping off to a 22-11 start.

Telstra, on the other hand, dropped a 50-25 bomb in the middle quarters to transform a 27-20 lead into a 77-45 bubble going into the final 10-minute mark of the contest. They further outclassed the Marauders in the last quarter, 30-21, resulting into a 41-point blowout. — EBV (FREEMAN)