RP-Guardo cagers trip Malaysians

CEBU CITY – RP-Guardo Lhuillier flashed its versatility on both ends of the court to scuttle a gritty Malaysian side, 74-65, in the fifth Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Champions Cup before an appreciative crowd at the Cebu Coliseum here last night.

The Filipinos used a variation of the attack-and-kickout offense, trapped the Malaysian ballhandlers no end and double-teamed their American import Jamal Livingston to control the game from start to finish en route to the rousing win.

With former MBA Cebu Gem Jerry Jaca waxing hot early, the Filipinos set the tone of the game as early as the first half where they led by 11 points, 34-23, before settling to a 49-39 lead at the turn.

They padded the lead to as much as 60-43 and then cruised to victory in this tournament jointly organized by the Basketball Association of the Philippines and the Cebu Basketball League.

Jaca topscored for the RP team with 22 points while Livingston, who was bothered no end by the pesky defense of Cebu-based American Darryl Smith, hit 29.

The Malaysians, who lost American coach Felton Sealey to two technical fouls at the start of the fourth quarter, were in the game only in the second quarter where they threatened to within 39-41 following a 9-0 spurt.

It was, however, an entirely different Malaysian team that showed up Sunday night.

The Malaysians rode on the 25-point performance of Livingston to score its first win at the expense of Singapore, 92-61, in this tourney supported by Osaka Iridology, Uniherb, Accel, YKL Films, Molten, Absolute Water, Burlington and PCSO.

The inspired play of the European league veteran rubbed on to his Malaysian teammates who all scored in the game, six of them chipping in no less than six points.

Backing Livingston was forward K. Saryaseelan who came up with 11 points, nine of them in the first half where Malaysia posted a 24-33 lead at halftime.