VAG Trading ‘94, Young Builders ‘91 off to semis

VAG Trading ’94 and Young Builders ’91 terminated separate foes to breeze through the semifinals of the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association’s 10th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup on Tuesday night at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

Wellington Yu pumped in a season-high 31 points as Class ’94 completed a two-game sweep over the twice-to-beat Shell ’78/85, 80-70, while Class ’91 scored a vengeful 61-44 victory that sent Petrogas/Corner Bakery ’92 packing.

Class ’78/85 was trailing by eight points at the break, 26-34, but the Shell-backed squad kept abreast with Class ’94 behind the gallant efforts of top gunner Chester Cokaliong.

Cokaliong, who charted 25 points spiked with five 3-pointers, hit five successive free throws to knot the count at 38-all midway in the third period.

A basket by Edvin Kaw pulled Class ’78/85 ahead, 40-38, but Yu, Cesas de Asis III, and Bronson Peña put their acts togethers to push Class ’94 back in front, 50-49, entering the final period.

Class ’78/85 threatened for the last time at 60-61 on Cokaliong’s fifth and last triple.

Yu and Peña hit bigtime shots as time dwindled down to steer Class ’94 to a twin-digit triumph. De Asis finished with 17 points followed by Peña with 13 markers for VAG Trading.

Kaw scored 13 for Class ’78/85 and Wilson Yu added 10.

Later in the night, Chester Benedict Go fired 14 points and Juan Borromeo, Jr. added 11 markers for Class ’91, which battered Class ’92 the entire game capped by back-breaking 24-15 run in the windup to seal the 17-point romp.

John Joel Lim only had eight points, but was doubly happy as he became the league’s 48th player to joint the 1,000-point club.

Richard Lanutan was the lone bright spot for Class ’92 with a game-high 20 points. The missing link was top hitman Mitchel Diputado, who was held off to a season-low five points.

The scores

First game

Class ’94 (80) - Yu 31, De Asis 17, Peña 13, Gaw 10, Beldeniza 5, Chua 2, Ong 2

Class ’78/85 (70) - Cokaliong 25, Kaw 13, Yu 10, Wong 6, Yap 6, Lee 4, Yu 3, Tio 3

Second game

Class ’91 (61) - Go 14, Borromeo 11, Lim 8, De la Torre 7, Go 7, Yu 6, Co 4, Ty 2, Crisologo 2

Class ’92 (44) - Lanutan 20, Ordes 6, Dy 6, Diputado 5, Lim 4, Kong 3—EBV