CEBU, Philippines - Defending champion Stream Ingenyouity unleashed a furious third-quarter offensive to tear down the 1&1 Marauders, 77-64, in the 9th CSCC E-League for Basketball last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Stream, thus, earned a share of the Southern Conference lead with the Aegis Vipers, who also bettered their win-loss record to 8-1 without breaking a sweat after winning by default over the Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI) Hardbacks (formerly Xlibris).
Stream drew sterling performances from several players led by Joselito Aranda with 15 points, 10 rebounds and three assists.
Marvin Alquilos scored 13 on top of two assists and two rebounds, while one-time league MVP Sylvester Millevo carded in 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists for Stream, which was ahead by just a matchstick at halftime, 30-29.
But Stream, which also got 10 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals from Iven Cres de Torres, unfurled a crippling 27-14 rally after the halftime break to mount a comfortable 14-point advantage, 57-43, going into the final 10 minutes of the contest.
1&1 never recovered from there on the way to absorb its sixth loss in nine starts. Jan Gabest Isiah topped the Marauders with 24 points, five assist, four steals and three rebounds, while Arnel Azarcon had 14 points and four assists in a losing effort.
Earlier, Reinario Salibay, Jr. pumped in 24 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals to almost singlehandedly carry the Wipro Tigers to a precarious 63-60 win over the Sykes Pioneers.
Wipro got off to a blistering 19-3 start, but what appeared to be a smooth-sailing win turned out to be rough as Sykes staged a daring comeback in the endgame. Time, however, wasn't on Sykes' side, enabling Wipro to walk through a three-point escape.
With the win, Wipro kept its hold of the solo leadership in bracket C of the Southern Conference with a 7-2 win-loss mark, while Sykes stayed at second place with a 5-4 slate. Frederick Montelibano paced Sykes with 18 points, three rebounds and two assists followed by Gerald Bien Galarido with 16 markers on top of seven rebounds and four steals. (FREEMAN)