CECABA selection, Guardo-Rama Boys register first victory

The Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (CECABA) selection and the Guardo-Rama Boys Barkada finally notched their first victory of the season in contrasting fashion in the 2005 Executive's Cup basketball tournament on Monday night at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

The CECABA selection had to dig deep in overtime to thwart the Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association (SHABA) selection, 67-62, in the battle of winless squads, while Guardo-Rama Boys Barkada rode on Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama's sizzling second half explosion to mangle the Jaycees Basketball Association (JBA) selection, 83-68. Games tomorrow 7:30 pm CECABA All-Stars vs. JBA selection 9:00 pm Club Monday vs. SCBHABA

Signifying they both badly wanted to savor a win, the CECABA selection and its SHABA counterpart fought hill-to-hill all throughout the match.

SHABA appeared to be headed to victory with a 56-54 lead in the final 15 seconds of the regulation, but Stephen Tan made a courageous drive against three defenders to tie the count at 56-all, thus, sending the game into overtime.

The CECABA selection found a new hero in the extra five-minute period in James Yu, who converted back-to-back baskets that eventually took the game out of the gritty SHABA stalwarts. That was Yu's only points in the game and what a perfect time for him to explode.

Tan finished with 17 points on top of six rebounds and six assists, Edwin Lim added 14 markers and Stephen Lee donated 12 points as the CECABA selection snapped out of its four-game losing streak, while dealing SHABA its third straight defeat in as many games.



In the main game, Mike Rama displayed a highly-inspired game in the second half where he poured in all of his 14 points, including a buzzer-beater triple that upped Guardo-Rama Boys' lead to 56-47 at the end of the third period.

Rama then knocked in three triples of his 11 points in a game-closing 28-21 run that sparked Guardo-Rama Boys to its first triumph after three failed attempts.

Reynaldo Zamora also deserved an honorable mention as he dished out substantial numbers, finishing with 14 points, 14 rebounds, eight steals and six assists, in the same way with Pablo Yu, who posted 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Christopher Stephen Sta. Maria had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Peter Michael Sta. Maria added 13 points, five assists and four rebounds for JBA selection, while slipped to 1-2. The scores First game

CECABA selection (67) - S. Tan 17. E. Lim 14, S. Lee 12, S. Co 8, R. Yu 8, J. Yu 4, Cokaliong 2, H. Yu 2

SHABA selection (62) - Casas 16, P. Lim 8, G. Lim 8, Tan 8, Carcel 7, H. Lim 5, N. Lim 4, Siao 4, Go 2 Second game

Guardo-Rama Boys (83) - M. Rama 14, Zamora 14, P. Yu 14, Borres 11, De la Calzada 10, Yuvallos 7, Lim 7, Basamot 5, Daluz 1

JBA selection (68) - C. Sta. Maria 15, P. Sta. Maria 13, Corros 11, Toledo 10, Chua 8, Germano 8, Lin 2, Yu 1 (EBV)