CEBU CESAFI Partner’s Cup: Prime Asia scores first round sweep

CEBU, Philippines - League front-runner Prime Asia Lending-UV Lancers easily dismantled the listless Raphael's Cafe/USJ-R Jaguars, 83-46, to consummate a five-game sweep in the first round of elimination in the Enervon CESAFI Partner's Cup men's basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Prime Asia Lending seeks to extend its unbeaten streak to six games in a row as it takes on its victim anew in today's opener of a scheduled triple-header at 3 pm. In the second game at 4:45 pm, Gaisano Capital South-UC Webmasters will go up against San Marino Tuna/CIT-U Wildcats, while the Cebu Landmasters-UWS Warriors will slug it out with Lion Tiger Katol-USPF Panthers in the main match at 6:30 pm.

With their Cameroonian twin towers cheering for most of the time at the bench, the local players who did the easy demolition for Prime Asia, which led all the way from the get-go.

Although Steve Cedrick Akomo and Mike Harry Nzensseu were fielded in only in the first and third periods, it hardly mattered for Prime Asias as the locals gamely picked up the scoring cudgels.

Interestingly, Prime Asia won by a mile despite none of its players cashed in double figures. Chris Perolino and Alfred Codilla topped their scoring chart with nine points apiece.

Jasper Diaz was the game's lone twin-digit scorer with 11 points for Raphael's Cafe, which crashed to its fifth staight defeat in as many starts.

The second round though may give Raphael's Cafe a significant change and a better brand of game with the return of ace pointguard Rendell Senining and Fletcher Galvez, who formed part of the Central Visayas secondary basketball team that won gold in the 2013 Palarong Pambansa yesterday in Dumaguete City. The host region beat NCR in the finals, 70-66.

The scores

Prime Asia (83) - Codilla 9, Perolino 9, Arong 8, Marquez 8, Mendoza 7, Escocio 6, Santillan 6, Octobre 4, Soliva 3, Nzensseu 2, Fajardo 2, Babia 2, Abad 1, Akomo 1

Raphael's Cafe (46) - Diaz 11, M. Parker 7, Silay 6, C. Parker 6, C. Sennining 4, R. Senining 3, Bayhonan 3, Bancale 2, Lajato 2, Villarosa 2

Halftime: 34-18  (FREEMAN)