Ex-pro Joel Co powers Core Pacific to back-to-back wins

CEBU, Philippines — Former PBA player Joel Co delivered a scintillating double-double show as the Core Pacific Group outclassed the previously unbeaten 2kcares.org, 69-54, for its second straight win in the Sacred Heart Ateneo Alumni Basketball Athletic Association (SHAABAA) Season 27 at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles Arena in Barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.

Co, a former collegiate standout with the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars who is arguably the greatest player SHAABAA has ever produced, dropped 18 points and pulled down a terrific 21 rebounds for Core Pacific, which took  the solo leadership in Division A with a clean 2-0 slate.

Co, who had stints with Chowking in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and the Manila Metrostars in the Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) before being picked by Purefoods TJ Hotdogs in the second round and 12th overall in the 2000 PBA Draft, also had four assists and one steal for Core Pacific, which used a explosive second-quarter rally to rip the game apart.

Core Pacific was ahead by only six points, 18-12, after the first 10 minutes of play but detonated a 20-7 bomb in the second frame to mount a huge 38-19 advantage at halftime, which they padded to 42-22 midway in the third period.

Core Pacific sustained its momentum the rest of the way to come up with a 15-point rout.

While he shined brightly on both ends of the court, Co got huge support from the rest of his teammates.

Mike Sala finished with nine points and five boards, while Andrew Po and Jeremy Ryan Huang chipped in eight markers apiece and were accounted for 15 of Core Pacific’s 64 rebounds.

Johannes Chua, Glenn Ocampo, and Dennis Que also made their presence felt with seven points each, while Dave Michael Ting completed Core Pacific’s scoring chart with five points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Sean Young and Christian Tiongko finished with identical 12 points but to no avail as 2kcares.org tasted its first defeat in three starts.