Cokaliong Shipping team lashes back at Lion-Tiger

After three straight losses, Cokaliong Shipping Lines Inc. is on a hot comeback trail, lashing back at Lion-Tiger Aerosol, 70-57, for its second straight victory in the 2005 Winners League basketball tournament at the City Sports Club of Cebu gym.

Unlike in its opening day 63-65 debacle to Lion-Tiger, a different Cokaliong Shipping squad showed up this time as it took full control the entire game to get even at its tormentor and slowly erase the sting of their humiliating 0-3 start.

So dominating Cokaliong Shipping of coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug was that it built as much as 23-point lead twice, the last was at 67-44 in the final quarter.

Before that, Cokaliong Shipping nearly flirted with complacency as it allowed Lion-Tiger to climb back from a 23-35 deficit at halftime to pull within 36-41 on Albert Tan's free throws with halfway mark in the third period.

But top hitman Chester Cokaliong scored on a baseline drive and then hit a 3-pointer in between Richard Mercado's two free throw conversions to restore back Cokaliong Shipping's double-digit edge, 48-36.

Cokaliong Shipping was never threatened from that point on.

"Team effort was the key to our victory as the players rose up to the challenge," said Cokaliong, who posted a team-high tying 11 points on top of two steals.

It was a crucial triumph for Cokaliong Shipping as it would have been eliminated had it lost.

Top center Gilbert Gajudo was in his usual deadly form, cashing in 11 points, 14 rebounds, and two steals, while Chester's younger brother and son Christopher and Chase, respectively, also played a key role combining for 19 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists.

Chester, Christopher, and Chase Cokaliong connived for 16 points as Cokaliong Shipping pummeled Lion-Tiger in the first quarter, 20-12.

Jershwin Po scored only seven and Mercado six, but the two also deserved special mention. Po had nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Mercado collected nine rebounds, seven assists, and five steals to underscore a balanced attack by Cokaliong Shipping.

From the cellar, Cokaliong Shipping leapt to third in the standings with a 2-3 win-loss record, while Lion-Tiger crashed down the rear after absorbing its fourth consecutive defeat since it opening day conquest of CSLI.

Lion-Tiger Aerosol seemed at a loss without its main man Kent Ong, which is still recuperating from an injury.

In the absence of Ong, Edmund Gaisano stepped up with 15 points, but had little help from the rest of his teammates.

The scores

Cokaliong Shipping (70) - Chester Cokaliong 11, Gajudo 11, Christoher Cokaliong 10, Chase Cokaliong 9, Po 7, Gaw 6, Mercado 6, Boholst 6, Tolentino 4

Lion Tiger (57) - Gaisano 15, Ngo 9, Tan 8, Yu 8, E. Ong 5, N. Ong 5, Sy 3, Lim 2, Uy 2