SABLAN, Benguet – Only eight men and a slow start did not deter defending champion La Trinidad from winning over an even short – handed Kibungan while Tuba battled a 10 – point deficit early but got its groove in the second half as it sneaked past host Sablan.
Despite having only eight players, La Trinidad pulled off another victory as it remained unbeaten in seven starts after a 103 – 80 victory in the resumption of the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup Benguet Basketball League.
“Most of the guys are sick and the two are in Abra,” said La Trinidad coach Jhong del Rosario.
Down by seven in two occasions, at 13-20, midway in the first quarter, La Trinidad fought back to within two, 23-25, to end the period.
It again trailed by seven early in the second canto, 37-30, but Trinidad fought back to take a 47-44 lead at half time.
Russel Tuazon led La Trinidad in a scoring binge in the third canto to take a 22-point lead at the end of the period. It went by as much as 31 midway into the last quarter before La Trinidad took it slow to allow Kibungan to come to within 21. But it was the last heave for Kibungan.
Tuazon led Trinidad with 33 points, on top of four assists and two steals.
Clyde Habon had 11 points and tied Elton Tayab with the team high 14 boards. He added four assists , three steals and a single block.
Jason Alvaran also made his mark as he conjured 14 points, aside from grabbing four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a single block.
Tayab added 13 points, the same output made by Dennis Billanes.
Five of Kibungan’s six players scored in double digits with Jade Roxas leading them with 18, Romel Lavandia had 17, Gary Bay-an and Felix Titiwa, Jr. with 14 and Christian Algen with 13.
Lavandia and Bay-an had game high of 20 boards each.
“It was the two big men who made life hard for us in the early going. But when they got tired, that was the time we pulled away,” added del Rosario.
He said that Armando Pollante and scoring leader Will Kean Lee are in Abra, while most of the players are sick. Shawn Aquisay could not yet play after losing his uniform after the victory over Tuba.
La Trinidad just came off from two tough victories, over Itogon and Tuba.
Tuba meanwhile started so cold and trailed by as much as 10, but got the wind in the second half unleashing a 17-0 run in the first three minutes of the third canto to score an 84-56 win over host Sablan at the municipal gym here.
When only nine reported for Tuba, Sablan took advantage of it to take command of the game and was in command until the last minute of the first half.
Tuba took a 39-37 lead before the end of the first half but Jim Coy-om drained his basket as time expired to equalize the game at half time.
But the speed of Tuba was too much for a seemingly winded Sablan as the much younger squad went on a rampage that saw them outscore the host 45-17 in the last two cantos.
John Cedric Pugong led Tuba with 22 points and 10 rebounds while adding four, two and one assists-steals-blocks.
Raxl Apilado sank four treys enroute to a personal best of 15, while Jaime Reyes chipped in 13 markers on top of nine boards.
Jim Coy-om led Sablan with 14 markers, while Jadway Milet had a game high rebound of 15.
“We just tested the water in the first canto, see how they will react to our play, then took charge in the second half,” said coach Gerry Estranero. CEGYCC Release
