LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – La Trinidad draws closer to a top spot finish in the elimination and the first seed in the quarterfinals after blasting Atok, 122-91 in the Cong. Eric Yap Congressional Cup – Benguet Basketball League at the Benguet Sports Complex Saturday here and improve to 10-1 win-loss slate.
Using a second quarter 36-15 blitz, the Valley Boys all but completed its surge to the top of the 13-team league backed by Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap, the ACT – CIS Partylist, the office of Gov. Melchor Diclas and the Media for Sports Development.
Atok gave Trinidad an early scare after Kurt Tamiray drained back-to-back treys to equalize the game at 18-all. A basket by Cris John Antonio made it a 20-18 Atok lead, the first and last for the team as Trinidad put on the gas and finish the first canto with a 33-27 lead.
Will Keane Lee and Armando Pollante returned to action after several games of absence to lead La Trinidad over the Tamiray led squad.
Lee scored 21 points, while fellow sharpshooters Jason Alvaran and Russel Tuazon chipped in 11 and points, respectively for Trinidad which lost only once against Kapangan.
Tuazon had a double – double performance after he dished 11 dimes in the game that marked the first time that the Jhong del Rosario -mentored squad is “complete”.
Atok’s Kurt combination accounted 53 of the team’s 91 – point production with Tamiray, the league’s scoring leader, equaled his average of 31.75 points per game with 32 points.
The two-time college champion from the Cordillera Career Development College added eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals in another stellar performance that could have gone to waste.
Limpayos chipped 21 and hauled 12 rebounds for another double-double performance while Clifton Melis scored 12 markers and hauled down 10 rebounds.
With the setback, Atok fell to 2-8 in tie with Kibungan at 10th to 11th spots.
“We will surely go for the kill and win the last game against Bokod so as not to complicate our path to the semifinals and the title,” said del Rosario after the game.
“We will try to get all the boys, but we are not sure if we get Lee, or (Bryan) Gravilez or even (Armando) Pollante when we play Bokod next week,” added del Rosario.
Tublay, meanwhile, is playing Bakun as of this writing.
The next three games in today’s five game schedule may determine who will take the last two spots of top four with La Trinidad and Itogon already assured taking the top two.
Last Year’s bridesmaid Bokod faces a tough Buguias now led by Fernando Bacani, Jr. and former Bokod player Jerry Olsim, this will be followed by the Kapangan – Mankayan encounter and finally the Itogon – Kabayan match-up.
“Kabayan is the dark horse. They practice regularly and may yet pull a surprise,” said del Rosario of the Randy Alis mentored squad which is the league’s most improved team after finishing ninth in the first season. CEGYCC Release
