CEBU, Philippines - Back-to-back defending champion Lancers Basketball Club needed a halftime wake-up call and Orlan Wamar’s career-high 34 points before cruising to a masterful 83-47 win over Cebu Elite at the semifinals of the Coca Cola PBA Youngstars Basketball Tournament 2014 at the Capitol Parish Gym.
In the other semifinal match-up, Cebu Warriors overcame a furious end-game rally to outlast the Dragons Ballclub, 80-76.
The Lancers started listlessly while Cebu Elite was hot at the start, taking a 16-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. For the first time in the tournament, the Lancers had to play from behind.
Point guard Wamar then took over the ballgame leading the second quarter rally that gave the Lancers a 32-29 halftime lead. He maintained his hot shooting all game long as he added 12 points in the third quarter where they streaked to 58-39 lead.
Wamar poured in 10 more points in the fourth period on the way to scoring a career-high 34 points to finish off the Elite side. Joshua Flores added 11 to support Wamar. Kurt Amores led Cebu White with 10 points.
In the other semis duel, the Cebu Warriors went hot and cold then staved off an endgame rally to topple the Dragons Ballclub.
Down 46-38 at halftime, the Warriors went to John Galinato and Jean Jacque Antigua to take the lead, 63-55, end of the third quarter. The Warriors maintained the lead and seemed to be comfortable with a 72-61 lead with 5:37 left in the game.
But the Dragons bounced back out of nowhere to narrow the lead to 74-72 with 1:30 left in the game. After Marc Ting made it 78-74, Richmond Bulibuli made a trey to cut it to 78-77, 30 seconds left. But Ting was there again to ice the game at 80-77.
Antigua led Cebu Warriors with 24 points, while Ting had 22. Galinato added 19 for the three-prong offense. Bulibuli led the Dragons with 27, while Denzel Sabroso scored 19.
The Lancers and Warriors face off for the third straight year of this annual tournament presented by Coca Cola in partnership with the Philippine Basketball Association. Its local partner is the Cebu Youth Basketball League under the auspices of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. (FREEMAN)