Echo Appliance wrests 14th SHABA cage title

CEBU, Philippines - The Echo Appliance-Carrier Spareparts stunned defending champion Pier One in the deciding game of their best-of-three finals series, 71-61, to clinch the championship of the 14th Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association (SHABA) season at the old Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHS-J) campus along General Maxilom Avenue, this city.

Echo Appliance drew first blood in the series, 56-45, but Pier One won Game 2 via a 71-70 squeaker in overtime to forge a rubbermatch.

In the knockout duel, Echo Appliance capitalized on the absence of Pier One star players in Dennis Que and Dave Lim to complete their fairytale run.

Chad Canares and Dave Ting tried to save the day of Pier One but all they could muster was to close in at three points, 49-52, at the end of the third quarter.

Eldie Cabahug, Kester Gajudo and Antonio Datan then sparked a blistering 15-4 rally to vault Echo Appliance to victory.

 Eldie, son of UV coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug, paced Echo Appliance with 19 points on a 4-of-6 shooting from the field. Antonio Datan and Kester Gajudo contributed 13 markers apiece.

The rest of Echo Appliance's roster include Milvic Chua, Albert Chua, Aldo Tancinco, Franz Cimafranca, Francis Singco, Xar Bayot, Arthur Lao, Hester Palma, Peter Tuaño, Jose Marie Acha and Johannes Chua.

The scores

Echo Appliance (71) - Cabahug 19, Datan 13, Gajudo 13, Lao 10, Acha 6, Tancinco 3, Cimafranca 2, Bayot 2, Palma 2, M. Chua 1

Pier One (61) - Canares 21, Ting 18, Uy 7, Tan 6, Lo 5, Aguilar 3, Go 1 – Caecent No-ot Magsumbol   (FREEMAN NEWS)