CKSC trips Adamson, cops Freego Cup crown

MANILA, Philippines – Chiang Kai Shek College dominated Adamson in the first two quarters and went on to fashion out an 86-67 romp to capture the ninth PCABL (Philippine Chinese Amateur Basketball League) Freego Cup crown at the Buddhacare Academy gym in Quezon City over the weekend.

With John Galinato and Carl Luciano hitting their strides early, the CKSC Blue Dragons took a 25-16 lead at the close of the first quarter then raced to as many as 27 points (52-25) at halftime.

The Baby Falcons, with Jason Celis scoring 12 of his game-high 26 points in the third, cut the lead to 18, 68-50, going to the final 10 minutes of play. But Luciano fired eight of his team-high 19 points to help quell the San Marcelino-based squad’s uprising.

CKSC’s title win was its first in the pre-season tournament also supported by Smart, Jumbo Plastic Linoleum, Hapee Toothpaste, Insular Square (Cebu), and New Pioneer Auto Supply (Cebu).

Luciano finished with a double-double, including 16 rebounds, as he bagged the Finals MVP award. Making it to the Mythical Five were Arellano’s Carlo Abadeza, NU’s John Clemente, UP’s Juan Gomez de Lliano, La Salle Greenhills’ Troy Mallilin and Lyceum’s Makki Santos.

Tournament director Horacio Lim credited the success of the pre-season tournament to the continued support of Freego through Eduard Tio and other supporters like Smart, Jumbo Plastic Linoleum, Hapee Toothpaste, Insular Square (Cebu), and New Pioneer Auto Supply (Cebu).

Meantime, reigning UAAP champion National University downed La Salle Greenhills, 89-66, to clinch third place honors.