SEA OLYMPUS put an end to Dormakaba’s bid for a perfect season as they handed the erstwhile unbeaten squad a 57-47 loss in Game 1 of the best-of-three finals in the Architects + Engineers Basketball Association Corporate Cup on Sunday at the Cebu Eastern College gym.
Kim Rebosura took advantage of Dormakaba’s porous defense and came away with 16 points, four assists and three rebounds while Brian Acebedo nearly had a double-double with 13 points and nine boards as Sea Olympus took a 1-0 series lead.
It was a nip-and-tuck battle between the same squads that matched up for the Davies Paints crown earlier this year, with Sea Olympus holding on to a 37-36 lead after three periods.
But Dormakaba, which played minus their top frontcourt studs in 6-foot-4 center Jordan Alano and Jessie Paradero, and lost former MVP Ed Macasling and Alfred Calumba to injuries during the hotly contested match, crumbled in the fourth and Sea Olympus pounced, getting points from Acebedo, Rebosura and veteran banger Elmer Laguna down the stretch to hack out the win.
Niel Benedicto was the lone player to top double-figures for Dormakaba with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Megabond notched third place with a 96-91 win over Davies Paints.
Martin Tabones exploded for 41 markers while Kurt Vanguardia had a triple-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists.