Colveta upsets Vernel in BRBA caging

CEBU, Philippines - Sitio Colveta shocked the highly-favored Vernel squad of Danny Duran by the narrowest of margins,78-77, to snare the top spot in the Better Run Basketball Association (BRBA) at the Ma. Gochan Sports Complex in Brgy. Mambaling, this city.

 Vernel took a seven-point lead, 61-54, going into the payoff period behind the efforts of Michael Arias and Burt Tabalin, but Colveta came out strong in the closing minutes of the contest to forge a 76-all deadlock with 32 seconds left to play.

Vernel could have won the game outright, but Duran, a former UV Lancer and a veteran coach, only split his charities to give his team a shaky 77-76 edge. In the ensuing sequence, Tikbot Tradio nailed the winning layup for Colveta with 13 ticks left before the final buzzer.

Vernel bettered its win-loss record to 5-1, while Duran’s chargers fell to 4-2.

Tradio paced Colveta with 22 points, while Walas Vergara and Lito Rentuma chipped in 17 and 11 markers, respectively.

     Earlier, the Conor Express of team owner Elmer Hamis and coach Dodoy Cuarto defeated the Cavs, 74-69, to improve its record to 4-2 in a tie with Vernel. The Cavs slipped to 2-4.

Junrey Ledesma led Conor Express with 20 points while Egang Tabalin added 15 points. Former USP Panthers Alix Albaño and Rashid Hamis donated 10 points apiece.

In the other game, the Left Over drubbed the Bucks, 91-78, for its only second win in six starts. The Bucks absorbed their fifth defeat against a solitary win.

The scores

First game

Conor (74) - Ledesma 20, E. Tabalin 15, Albaño 10, Hamis 10, Romeo 6, Ocañada 4, Capacite 3, P. Tabalin 3, Pumareja 2, Suerte 1

Cavs (69) - Sestoso 17, Pacunla 14, Delos Angeles 13, J. Gador 12, Sarabia 6, Manzano 4, Arong 3

Second game

 Colveta (78) - Tradio 22, Vergara 17, Rentuma 11, Dy 7, Macion 7, Seiga 5, Quiño 4, Abrera 3, Taboada 2

Vernel (77) - Ceballos 18, Arias 14, Campos 12, B. Tabalin 10, Mosqueda 6, Carcueva 4, Villarta 4, Duran 3, Gador 2

Third game

Left Over (91) - Millior 21, Llamado 18, Maguinsay 14, V. Cañete 11, F. Cañete 10, Calvo 6, Medalla 5, Valle 4, Fernanez 2

Bucks (78) - Pacunas 25, Sasan 22, Omeres 14, Managaytay 10, Ebo 7 (GGM)   (THE FREEMAN)