DOUBLE-DOUBLE machine Niño Belande continued to wreak havoc, dishing off another monster game to lift the scorching Supportsave Dragons to a one-sided 99-70 win over the Blue Ocean Pirates last Saturday in the EVO League of the 12th City Sports Club-Cebu (CSC-C) E-League for Basketball at the CSC-C Gym.
Belande erupted for 29 points, hauled down 18 rebounds and added five assists and two steals in a solid game that propelled the Dragons to their sixth victory in as many starts.
Janille Kristianne Bantilan ably backed Belande with his 23 points, six rebounds, six assists and a steal, while Germaine Jo Guarisma added 12 points as Supportsave stayed close with EVO League leaders QBE Generals, who occupy the number one spot with a 7-0 (win-loss) card.
Raymond Dennis Tan tallied 27 markers, Jobe Boquia scored 12, while Augustine Aworuwa had 11 for the Pirates, who slumped to 1-5.
Scoring their own victories in the EVO League were The Results Companies Spartans and the Dyninno Raptors.
The Spartans chalked up a 67-56 win over the Atos Falcons, while the Raptors cruised to an easy 91-62 triumph over the Teletech Titans.
Jonathan Mangabat led the Spartans’ fifth win in seven games with 26 points. Jude Arthur Go and Jade Seno added 15 and 12 points, respectively.
Reymund Ardiente collected 18 markers, Teonil Opelina pitched 15 for the Falcons, who stayed winless after six outings.
The Raptors improved to 4-4 behind Ellison Rivera, Ad Roel Laboga and Antonio Reyes, who wound up with 21, 16 and 14 points, respectively.
Ar-Jay Jumao-as scattered 24 points to lead the Titans, who continued to struggle to absorb their seventh defeat in as many games.
In the Elite Classic, meanwhile, the defending champions Convergys Converters got back on track after they defeated the Wipro Tigers, 66-50.
Coming off a 51-59 loss to the Lexmark Stallions that ended their four-game win streak, the Converters leaned on the superb game of Sherwin Emmanuelle Resilla, who produced 16 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and one steal.
Lourenz Limpangog registered his own double-double by scoring 13 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Aldene Jay Batino was the third Converter scoring in twin digits with 12.
Reinario Salibay fired a game-high 26 points—the lone double-digit scorer for the Tigers, who fell to 0-6.