Dewfoam '88 and Hannah's Cakes and Decors 2004 strolled past separate foes to draw first blood in the division finals of the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association's 9th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Games on Friday (City Sports Club)
Game 2, Division Finals
7:30 pm 1992 vs. 1988
9:00 pm 2004 vs. 1995
Class '88 went strong in the final half to drub Petrogas '92 and take a 1-0 upstart in their best-of-three Division I championship series, while Class 2004 moved one step closer from clinching the Division II crown with a 70-57 bashing of Henkel Philippines '95.
Class '88 and Class 2004 can wrap up the title in their respective divisions if they score a repeat success in Game 2 this Friday still at the City Sports Club.
Star center Richard Yu was held off to only six points but Rey Kenneth Ng stepped up bigtime with a game-high 17 points, including seven in the crucial fourth period that helped bail Class '88 out of danger.
Ng got sufficient support offensively from Harry Villamor and Gregorio Aguilar with 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Class '88 trailed by a matchstick at halftime, 22-23, but grabbed the lead for good, 34-29, entering the final 10 minutes of the contest.
Later in the day, Danel Hayag torched 22 points and Christian Espada had 16 for Class 2004, which was down by four at the end of the third period, 45-49, but detonated a deadly 25-8 bomb in the windup to turn Class '95 into shreds at the final buzzer.
Aljhune Areja added 13 points, including nine in the tide-turning rally at the endgame.
The scores
(Division I finals)
Class '88 (54) - Ng 16, Villamor 11, Aguilar 10, R. Yu 6, R. Lim 4, Dy 4, Lu 2, P. Lim 1
Class '92 (45) - Lanutan 12, Ordes 10, W. Yu 7, Ngo 6, Diputado 6, Tan 2, Lim 2
(Division II finals)
Class 2004 (70) - Hayag 22, Espada 16, Areja 13, Co 6, Wee 4, Chan 3, Mamac 3, Sy 2
Class '95 (57) - Ting 17, Gollon 14, Dy Teves 7, Ong 6, J. Yu 6, Gue 5, Ho 2 - EBV