Cebu City bests Macau for EASL Future Champions crown

HONG KONG – The Queen City of the South reigned supreme in Hong Kong. 

Cebu City was crowned the champion of the first-ever East Asia Super League (EASL) Future Champions tournament after routing Macau, 61-52, Saturday at the Kai Tak Sports Park here. 

Eventual MVP Kent Labitad spearheaded Cebu with 22 points, five rebounds and three assists in the clincher. Venz Nadela imposed his will inside with 15 markers, 16 boards, an assist and a steal. 

The two teams were held in a tight game through the half, with the Philippine delegation holding a slim 32-30 lead. 

But Cebu started to pull away late in the third quarter, taking a 41-42 deficit to a 49-42 lead heading to the fourth after a transition layup by Labitad. 

Macau then sliced the deficit to two, 51-53, after a jumper by Chan Man Tong. 

But Cebu found its range anew, starting off with a triple by Labitad that pushed the lead to five, 56-51. 

It sparked a backbreaking 8-1 run to finish off the game. 

Dwayne James Rojo added nine points, while Brix Hernando chipped in six markers, four boards and three dimes. 

Wong Ming Cheng paced Macau with 12 points and eight rebounds. 

Aside from being the inaugural champions, Cebu players McDome de Asis, Nadela, Labitad, Rojo and Dereck Wenceslao will go to Okinawa to train with the Ryukyu Golden Kings toward the end of August.