LISO five now 3-0 in Executive's Cup

So far, so good.

This is the best way to describe the Liloanon Sports Organization's title defense after it blasted the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association All-Stars, 91-75, to grab the solo lead in the 2005 Executive's Cup basketball tournament on Monday night at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

It was a double whammy for the Easternians as the CECABA selection was mangled by the resurgent Club Monday, 84-71, in the main game.

Abner Desiderio charted 22 points, eight rebounds and two assits, while Edger Ybañez added 18 markers, three rebounds and three steals for LISO, which used a decisive fourth quarter assault to notch its third consecutive victory in as many games, while halting CECABA's two-game win streak.

It was a close encounter most of the way with Chester Cokaliong and Wilson Yu pulling the gritty CECABA stars within striking distance after three quarters, 54-59, but LISO's Desiderio, Ybañez and Joseph Torlao presided over a blistering 32-21 spurt in the windup to come up with a 16-point romp.

Torlao, who shot 7-of-12 from the field, cashed in 15 points and five rebounds, while Philip Oncines added 13 points on top of four rebounds, four assists and three steals to underscore a total team effort by LISO.

Cokaliong had an explosive night, knocking in seven of his 16 3-pointers and hit 5-of-6 from the 2-point field goal to finish with a season-high 33 points, including 15 in a solitary fourth quarter effort.

But except for Wilson Yu, Edvin Kaw and Joel Chan, Cokaliong had little help from the rest of his teammates. Yu had 14 points and nine rebounds, Kaw added 12 points, while Chan scored only five, but collected 12 rebounds and dished out 11 assist.

Missing were the offensive savvy of top center Sammy Sia, who only had six points, and the fighting spirit of Zotico Tan, who got nil for the first time in any basketball event he joined in recent years.

Later, Andres Seno, Jr. fired 20 points and hauled down nine rebounds and Fabiolo Bantolinao, Jr. posted season-highs 14 points and 11 rebounds as Club Monday nailed back-to-back wins after an opening day setback to LISO to join the CECABA All-Stars at second place on identical 2-1 win-loss slates.

It was some sort of a sweet revenge for Club Monday, which suffered an upset loss to the CECABA selection last season.

Club Monday built an imposing 20-point lead at halftime, 47-27, and never looked back from there on the way to handing the CECABA selection its third straight defeat.

Stephen Tan unloaded 24 points, Christopher Cokaliong wound up with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Samuel Co had 14 points in a losing cause.

The scores

First game

LISO (91) - Desiderio 22, Ybañez 18, Torlao 15, Oncines 13, Maglasang 9, Cañete 5, Jugalbot 3, Pepito 2, Soliman 2, Bantilan 2

CECABA All-Stars (75) - Cokaliong 33, Yu 14, Kaw 12, Sia 6, Chan 5, Chua 3, Dy 2

Second game

Club Monday (84) - Seno 20, Bantolinao 14, Macasero 10, Reyes 7, Fernandez 7, Halili 6, Alfeche 5, Fontanoza 4, Sepe 4, Del Mar 4, Monterroyo 3

CECABA selection (71) - Tan 24, Cokaliong 15, S. Co 14, Lim 8, Lee 4, Aberia 4, R. Yu 2