Consolacion Fiesta Caging: TORN turns back D' Pop Edmaro

CEBU, Philippines - The TORN mainstays banked on the game-long brilliance of Nangka Brgy. Capt. Rey Cataluña to repulse D’ Pop Edmaro, 69-61, in the Association of Barangay Council (ABC) division of the Consolacion Fiesta Basketball Tournament at the Consolacion Sports Complex.

Cataluña stoked the early offensive fire for TORN and capped his heroics by drilling in back-to-back fastbreak plays with less than three minutes left to play that buffered his squad to victory.

Cataluña sparkled with 22 points. He leads in the statistics for the MVP race followed by Dennis Balaba of CPP and Danglag Brgy. Capt. Edwin Alin of D’ Pop Edmaro. Alin finished with a game-high 24 points, while Pulpogan Brgy. Capt. Roy Linaboc and Manolito Gemota tossed in 14 and 10 markers, respectively, in a losing cause.

As usual, Edmund Tibon ably backed up Cataluña with 14 points for TORN, which had to toil hard in the face of a spirited resistance by D’ Pop Edmaro all throughout the 40-minute skirmish.

TORN got off to a 15-12 start, but D’ Pop Edmaro constantly stayed within striking range. D’ Pop Edmaro pulled within two points, but Cataluña played the fireman’s role by hitting crucial baskets to bail TORN out of danger.

TORN is manned by players from barangays Tugbungan of Tony Tumongha, Poblacion Oriental of Leking Caylan, and Nangka, while D’ Pop Edmaro is comprised of barangays Pulpogan, Poblacion Oriental of Marilou Casul, and Danglag.

In the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) category, Poblacion Occidental whipped up a tide-turning rally in the third quarter to trounce Cansaga, 54-49. Poblacion Occidental trailed by four at halftime, 16-12, but fight back with finesse in the third canto to change the course of the match in its favor, 39-34, heading into the final stretch.

The two-month tilt is being held as a runup to the annual town fiesta of Consolacion on October 29 in honor of its beloved patron San Narciso. The other highlight is the ABC Night on October 21 featuring dance competition per cluster of three barangays each. The overall champion will take home P15,000.

The event is jointly organized by Consolacion ABC president Ma. Analee Gungob and SK Federation chairperson Madel Hyacinth Herrera.

The scores

SK division

Poblacion Occidental (54) - Reuyan 23, Paramel 11, Bascon 10, Reuyan 2, Hertamosa 2

Cansaga (49) - Bayno 20, Siacor 8, Dantes 6, Maglasang 5, Go 4

Quarterscores:10-10, 12-16, 39-34, 54-59

ABC division

TORN (69) - Cataluña 22, Tibon 14, Boyles 10, Congson 9, Napuli 8, Tumongha 4, Caylan 2

D’ Pop Edmaro (61) - Alin 24, Linaboc 14, Gemota 10, Abinales 7, Villamor 6

Quarterscores:15-12, 32-29, 50-48, 69-61—EBV (FREEMAN NEWS)