CEBU, Philippines – Clifford Amarado sparkled with 21 points as the Convergys 2 Blue Devils stretched their undefeated run to nine games in a row with a 58-49 triumph over the Kyocera Frontiers in the 10th CSCC E-League men's basketball tournament at the City Sports Club-Cebu gym.
Amarado, who also had three rebounds, three steals and two assists, was backed up by Joselito Aranda with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Angelo Lucero made his presence felt with 10 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two assists for Convergys 2, which took full control of the match after cruising through a 25-15 lead at halftime.
The Blue Devils were not as explosive in the second half, but were never threatened anyway by Kyocera. Ariel Ramonito Edera had 17 points but his efforts went futile as Kyocera dropped to 4-4.
In the other games, the Job Target Bandits rallied from a 16-point deficit in the first quarter to hold off the Telstra Titans, 52-47, while the Microsourcing Bullies prevailed over the GGS Griffins, 51-50, in a battle of winless teams.
Telstra greeted the game with a 16-0 bang only to wilt under the renewed challenge by the exuberant Job Target. After coming back to life in the middle quarters, Job Target launched a decisive 21-8 offensive at the endgame to finish off Telstra.
Andrew Joseph Isobal had 20 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals for Job Target, which is now tied with its victims on 3-6 win-loss records. Sam Jordan Hermosa had a breakout performance of 17 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists and three steals, albeit in a losing cause for Telstra.
On the other hand, Evan Michael Perez scattered 16 points, four rebounds and two assists as Microsourcing snapped out of its eight-game jinx, while dealing the listless GGS its 10th loss in a row.
In the other featured match, Gerald Bien Galarido and Rey Louie Lepardo each nailed 16 markers as the Sykes Pioneers conquered the Xerox Knights, 62-57, to improve their win-loss record to 3-6. Xerox dropped to 4-5. — /EBV) (FREEMAN)