Blue Devils survive Tigers to go 8-0 in CSCC E-League

CEBU, Philippines- The Convergys 2 Blue Devils rode on a spirited endgame assault to fend off the Wipro Tigers, 64-59, and stretch their unbeaten run to eight games in a row in the 10th CSCC E-League men's basketball tournament last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.

In what is by far their toughest game, the Blue Devils trailed for most of the way and were still down by five, 45-50, going into the final 10-minute mark of the contest.

The Blue Devils, however, turned to the hot hands of Lourenz Limpangog and Sherwin Anghay as they staged a daring breakway in the windup, 19-9, to turn the tables on the ferocious Tigers.

Limpangog finished with 17 points, four rebounds and two blocks, while Anghay tallied 13 markers, laced with 11 rebounds, six assists and three steals in a stellar showing that catapulted the Blue Devils to a masterful 8-0 start.

Franz Martinez came up with a solid double-double show of 15 points and 12 rebounds but his efforts went to waste as Wipro tumbled to its third loss in eight games.

On the other hand, the ePerformax Reds overcame a tough challenge by the gallant Xerox Knights to eke out a close 59-55 win, their seventh against a solitary loss.

John Ryan Benlota paced ePerformax Reds with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two assists followed by Raymond Dennis Tan with 11 points, three steals and two assists. Earvin Ferraren churned out a game-high 24 points, six rebounds, and two assists, but could not prevent Xerox from falling down to 4-4.

In the other games, Segs Al Go Bui charted 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals as the ASI Hardbacks tamed the Kyocera Frontiers, 54-48, while  Dennis Noel Poquita and Rex Alinson each scored 14 to power the SSI Warriors to a 57-49 drubbing of the Teletech Titans.

Armalon Fernandez added 11 points and six rebounds for ASI, which bettered its win-loss record to 5-3 while dealing Kyocera its third defeat in seven starts. Ariel Ramonito was the lone bright spot for Kyocera with 20 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and two blocks in a losing cause.

SSI now holds a 6-3 card, while Teletech suffered its sixth loss against only two wins. —/ EBV) (FREEMAN)