The San Carlos Boys High Alumni Basketball Association (SCBHABA) and Punta Princesa Sports Association (PPSA) opened their respective title bids with a bang in the 1st MP Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament last Sunday at the USC-Main Gym.
SCBHABA breathe fire all throughout the 40-minute skirmish to blow off the Dewfoam-sponsored United Architects Basketball Club (UABC), 79-52, while Samsung-PPSA bounced back from a sluggish start with aplomb to repulse Cocoroj-Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), 80-68.
Not to be outdone, the Barkada-Rama Boys of Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael L. Rama also kick-started its championship campaign in rousing fashion, but not without passing through some scary moments after eking out a 67-64 victory over Casino Filipino-Mactan. Lemar Alcover topped Rama Boys with 17 points followed by Coronel Baculio with 16.
Power-playing center/forward Dindo Sausa charted 16 points, while Virgil “Bing” Pua sank 15 markers for SCBHABA, which did not give UABC of Alan Choachuy some breathing space after jumping off to a sizzling 24-8 start.
The Carolinians completely dominated the Architects’ side in the final half, 45-28, to come up with a 27-point blowout.
John Sulay and Lord Ong paced UABC with 15 points apiece followed by Jonathan Suico with 12.
Later, Hector Lemuel Unajan and Kit Denoy connived for 22 markers as PPSA staged a daring breakway in the middle quarters to erase an early 18-21 deficit and grab the lead for good, 61-49, at the end of the third quarter.
James Lloyd “Jimbo” Noel, Roel Sumalinog, and Keith Arellano chipped in 27 points combined for PPSA.
Arturo Pepito Mata cashed in 20 points for INC, while Lim Juntilla and Gerardo Mangubat with 17 and 16 markers, respectively.
The scores
First game
SCBHABA (79) - Sausa 16, Pua 15, Lu 10, Diaz 9, Monsanto 6, Auza 5, Sepe 4, Wong 4, Bacaltos 4, Pelayo 2, Medija 2
UABC (52) - Sulay 15, Ong 15, Suico 12, Lim 5, Nazareno 3, Flores 2
Second game
Rama Boys (67) - Alcover 17, Baculio 16, Zamora 9, Molina 6, M. Rama 5, Regidor 5, Sabornido 2, Bernal 2, Dysam 2, C. Rama 2
Casino Filipino-Mactan (64) - Relampagos 19, Floro 16, Tamarra 15, Bautista 3, Borromeo 3, Astellaga 3, Pabalan 2, Sanchez 2
Third game
PPSA (80) - Unajan 12, Denoy 10, Sumalinog 9, Arellano 9, Noel 9, Co 7, Lim 5, Felicitas 3, Bacalla 2, Alesna 2, Rosito 2
Cocoroj-INC (68) - Mata 20, Juntilla 17, Mangubat 16, Montefalcon 4, Rusia 3, Sellar 2, Antona 2, Dexter 2, Visayas 2 — EBV