CEBU, Philippines - Stream Ingenyouity completed a two-game sweep of the Calltek Trojans, 58-47, to advance into the conference finals of the C9th CSCC E-League for Basketball at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Though Roderick Mangubat was the lone double-digit scorer with 13 points, it was a great team effort that catapulted Stream to the conference finals for the second straight year.
Sylvester Millevo and Melvin Cyrus Polestico each scored only eight, but connived for 12 rebounds, nine assists and four steals for Stream, which also drew big games from Marvin Alquilos, Edwin Bibera, Angelo Lucero, and John Louie Arriesgado.
Stream actually trailed by three points early on, 11-14, but fired back with a 15-4 blast in the second period to take full control of the match at halftime, 26-18.
Christian Judilla paced Calltek with 14 points, five assist, four rebounds and two steals, while Aerl Genebraldo nailed 12 markers on top of four rebounds in a losing effort.
In the other games, the Accenture Sharks dominated the Sykes Pioneers, 72-50, in the opener of their best-of-three playoffs, while the Aegis Vipers punched back at the ePerformax Reds, 62-56, to force a 1-1 tie in their own race-to-2 series.
Archie Brian Vincen Batua fired 20 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two assists, while Ryan Edward Llanos banged in 17 points for Accenture, which battered Sykes from the outset to open a huge 25-11 lead.After closing the first half with a 42-23 advantage, Accentured toned down in the third but closed the match with a 20-11 bang to come up with a 22-point blowout.
Ildefonso Bulangis, Jr. chipped in11 points, seven assists, two rebounds and as many steals for Accenture, while Frederick Montelibano was the lone bright spot for Sykes with 14 points on top of five rebounds and three assists.
On the other hand, Dean Junber Escalon unloaded 20 points, four rebounds and two steals, while Ryan Veloso charted 19 points laced with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals as Aegis lived and fight for another day against ePerformax.
Aegis rode on a strong opening assault and a steady offensive at the endgame to forge a sudden-death duel against ePerformax that was still being played as of this writing yesterday. (FREEMAN)