CEBU, Philippines - The Aegis Vipers triumphed over the Calltek Trojans, 82-69, in the battle of league leaders to stay unscathed after seven games in the 9th CSCC E-League for Basketball last Sunday at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Ryan Veloso netted 15 points, six rebounds and three steals, while Steve Warren Navaja pumped in 14 markers and eight rebounds for the Vipers, who used a decisive third-quarter rally to vanquish the hard-fighting Trojans.
Aegis led by only four at halftime, 37-33, but ripped the game apart with a 30-18 bomb for an imposing 67-51 cushion going into the final period.
Frederic Yballe added 12 points, three rounds and two assists, Rodulfo Enterina III had 11 points, three rebounds and two steals as Aegis remained as the only undefeated side in a field of 16 teams.
Christian Judilla fired 24 points on top of seven rebounds and a season-high six steals for Calltek. The Gellez brothers Mark Louise and Jan Pierre connived for 27 points, six rebounds and three steals but their efforts went in vain as they suffered their slipped to 7-2.
In the other games, the Accenture Sharks shrugged off a sluggish start to tame the Lexmark Stallions, 82-66, while the Sykes Pioneers survived a dogfight against the SSI Warriors, 59-57.
Accenture trailed early on, 21-23, but found its offensive bearing in the second quarter, which they sustained until the end to dump Lexmark by 16 points.
Archie Brian Vincen Batua charted 21 points and 10 rebounds, even as three others cashed in double figures for Accenture. Ryan Edward Llanos carded in 17 points, four rebounds and two assist, Julian Kyle Suerte scored 11 and Jasper Loreto added 10 points, three rebounds and two steals as they kept the overall lead in the Southern Conference with an 8-1 win-loss record.
Niel Tiempo unloaded 23 points and eight rebounds, but his lone effort couldn't prevent Lexmark from absorbing its only second loss in eight starts.
On the other hand, Frederick Montelibano submitted 20 points, four rebounds and two steals, while Vernie Jose Diotay and Reggy Sultan scattered 11 and 10 markers, respectively, for Sykes, which bettered its win-loss record to 5-3 while handing SSI its sixth defeat against only two wins. Lawrence Daven Agas paced SSI with 20 points and four rebounds.— EBV (FREEMAN)