Coke PBA Nationals: Cebu topples Pampanga

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu went to their running game to stop a taller Pampanga side, 47-36, on opening day of the Coca Cola PBA Youngstars Basketball Tournament National Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

After a slow start and a 13-6 lead at the end of the first period, the Cebu Lancers went to their vaunted running game to offset the taller Pampanga side and create a 29-14 halftime lead.

The lead was cut to 34-23 after three quarters, but Cebu managed to hold off any rallies staged by Pampanga. The duo of Joshua Flores and Orlan Wamar stepped up anew with Flores leading the team with 21 points while Wamar added 11 on top of orchestrating the Cebu offense and fastbreaks.

In other games, the two teams from Metro Manila proved that they were the teams to beat at this third staging of the tournament managed by the Philippine Basketball Association.

Valenzuela trounced Batangas, 67-51, while KABAKA Manila upended Cagayan de Oro, 63-54. Cebu is looking forward to better its runner-up finishes in the first two editions of the tournament. They bowed to Taytay-Rizal in 2012 and to Laguna in 2013. (FREEMAN)