Poligrates stars as Samsam Gullas sweeps elims in Emil's Cup caging

CEBU, Philippines - The star-studded Team Samsam Gullas blasted the Abrenica Engineering, 102-83, in battle of unbeaten squads to complete a four-game elimination round sweep in the 8th Emil's Fresh Chicken Fiesta Cup open basketball tournament at the Lipata Sports Complex in Barangay Linao, Minglanilla, Cebu.

Samsam Gullas, thus, emerged as the topnotcher among the five-team field going into the crossover semifinals.

As of this writing last night, the wards of coach Van Halen Parmis, one of the winningest commercial coaches in the Visayas and Mindanao region, were fighting it out against the fourth-ranked RMA Logistics for a berth into the championship round.

Team Samsam Gullas is seeking a repeat of their masterful 90-69 victory over RMA during their previous encounter. Their other victims are Aspa Scaffoldings, 89-79, and SG-ARQ, 76-62.

Eliud Poligrates, a PBA veteran of four teams (Talk 'N Txt, Air 21, NLEX and KIA), once again dazzled his Cebuano fans with his all-around showmanship, from passing to creating plays for his teammates. The former CESAFI collegiate standout from the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras is also a terror on the offensive end, averaging at least 20 points per game for Team Samsam Gullas.

Given their formidable lineup composed of PBA stalwarts, Team Samsam Gullas is a shoo-in to clinch the title of the six-day tournament that goes along with a P110,000 price tag. The second and third placers will pocket 50,000 and P30,000, respectively, while the fourth will get a consolation prize of P15,000.

Aside from the 28-year-old Poligrates, who has a storied bond with coach Parmis that spanned for eight years now, the UV-Samsam Gullas squad is also powered by Ronald Joseph Quiñahan of Rain or Shine  Elasto Painters, Brian Quinton Heruela of Blackwater Elite, Mark Anthony Andaya of KIA Carnival, Leomar Najorda of Red Bull Barako, Rudy Lingganay and Jeckster Apinan of NLEX Road Warriors, and Jaypee Belencion of Globalport Batang Pier.

"Hopefully we will go all the way to the championship," said Parmis. "We're expected to win the title because of our very strong lineup but as I've said earlier, what matters most to us is that we are able to give the fans a very exciting and highly entertaining games."— EBV (FREEMAN)