CEBU, Philippines - Chester Cokaliong led a well-balanced offensive as the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA) All-Stars shackled the Newsmen Basketball Association of Cebu (NBAC) Tri-Media Selection, 115-101, in their exhibition match last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Living up to his lofty billing as a streak-shooter, Cokaliong of Class '78 rifled nine 3-pointers of his game-high 31 points on the way to claim the All-Star MVP award, his 15th since the Easternians plunged into competitive hardcourt action against community and alumni-based leagues in 2002.
Cokaliong got huge backing from Shaun Christopher Wang of Class '96 and Mark Eugene Bukiron of Class '99 with 21 and 20 points, respectively, even as Joseph James Yu of Class '95 banged in 13 markers in CECABA's explosive attack.
Gabriel Bonjoc of dySS and Calvin Cordova of Cebu Daily News actually initiated a 4-0 blitz for NBAC, but that proved to be their only bright moment as Cokaliong and Wang started the offensive ball rolling for CECABA, powering the Easternians under the tutelage of coach Jojo Romarate to their first double-digit edge at 23-12.
The NBAC mainstays crawled within eight points at halftime, 57-65, and even pulled closer at 65-68, but that proved to be their last gasp of breath as Bukiron churned out 12 points in a blistering 20-4 run that vaulted CECABA to its largest lead at 19 points, 69-88, late in the third quarter.
It's an all-CECABA show from there onwards as the NBAC bets couldn't trim the deficit even just to a single digit.
Cokaliong's ninth and last triple of the day sealed the deal for CECABA, 115-99. Johnrey Bayking of Bombo Radyo then scored a meaningless basket to settle the final tally.
Armed with a prolific outside shooting, the NBAC cagers also played with high level of intensity, but their string of errors brought heavy damage on them in the end. Also, they were simply no match against the bigger and taller CECABA side.
Philip Cerojano of Superbalita paced NBAC with 28 points following by Bayking with 19 points. Jun Solon of GMA-7 and Bonjoc conspired for 35 points, while Rodel Quimod tossed in 10 points in a losing cause.
The scores
CECABA (115) - Ches. Cokaliong 31, Wang 21, Bukiron 20, JJ Yu 13, Teves 7, R. Yu 6, Babor 5, Chris. Cokaliong 4, Sia 4, Tan 2
NBAC (101) - Cerojano 28, Bayking 19, Solon 18, Bonjoc 17, Quimod 10, Cordova 4, Suarez 3, Ligan 2
Quarterscores:34-29; 57-65;89-77;115-101. (FREEMAN)