CEBU, Philippines - The First Family Appliance Circle '96 overcame a spirited endgame resistance by Wild Rice 2007 to escape with a 57-53 victory and take the solo lead in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association's 12th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Rex Alinson netted 12 points and had four rebounds, while Franklin Neil Ong added 10 points and four rebounds as Class '96 coasted to its third straight win in as many starts.
Dreyfuss Ang scored only eight, but made a substantial contribution with eight assists, five rebounds and four steals for Class '96, which opened the game with a 12-7 bang before cruising to a 27-18 edge at halftime.
Class '96 further battered Class 2007 in the third period, 22-14, to pad their lead to 17 points, 49-32, going into the final quarter.
Class 2007 staged a daring fightback in the windup but Class '96 held on its ground to preserve a four-point win.
Juan Carlo Espada paced Class 2007 with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals.
In the other game, Bryan Harry Labus scattered 17 points as JV Shop n Shop snapped out of its two-game slump with a 55-51 conquest of Fil-Ann 2009.
Class '97 led by only a matchstick early on, 14-13, but dropped a devastating 19-2 bomb in the second canto to tear the game apart at the bend, 33-15. It then weathered a fierce engame assault by Class 2009 to walk away with the marginal win.
Alfie Dwight Miranda Sy was the lone bright spot for Class 2009 with 31 points on top of four rebounds, three assists and two steals. (FREEMAN)
The scores
First game
Class '97 (55) - Labus 17, Tan 9, Dano 8, Ibones 7, Poligrates 4, Maderazo 3, Sy 3, Delda 2, Uy 2
Class 2009 (51) - Miranda Sy 31, Baluyos 8, Tan H.J. 6, A. Sy 4, Co 2
Second game
Class '96 (57) - Alinson 12, Ong 10, Renejane 9, Ang 8, Patiño 7, Donayre 4, Baron 4, Chua 3
Class 2007 (53) - Espada 16, So 12, Pilapil 8, Ong 6, Dy 5, Po 4, Haw 2