Mark Sy, Lucky Ecarma, Justin Ross Huang. | SHAABAA photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The much-awaited semifinals round of the Sacred Heart Ateneo Alumni Basketball Athletic Association (SHAABAA) Season 26 went in full swing on Sunday, Sept. 24, with two of the league’s defending champions having their backs against the wall.
Division A’s reigning champions, the Core Pacific Money Exchange-Batch 2000 lost to Bayfront Hotel-Batch 1990/1997, 49-53, in game one of their Best-of-Three semifinals series.
Also, Division C’s defending champion, Heritage Supreme Land Developer-Batch 2012 was defeated by Harley Davidson-Batch 2014, 70-75, forcing a do-or-die game three in their own semifinals series.
In Batch 1990/1997’s huge win on Sunday, Mark Sy topscored the squad with a double-double game of 13 points with 14 rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal, while teammate Chad Go added 12 markers.
Batch 2000’s Joseph Lo also had a double-double game of 13 points with 18 boards, four steals, and a block, while Dave Ting added 17 points in their losing efforts.
Meanwhile, Batch 2014’s Lucky Ecarma delivered a fantastic double-double outing of 22 points with 19 rebounds, and eight assists to tie their semifinals series against Batch 2012.
He also tallied two steals and block, while teammates Jair Igna, Noriko Benedicto, and Arnold Immanuel Dy scored 19, 11, and 10 points, respectively.
Adven Jess Diputado’s double-double performance of 26 points with 10 rebounds wasn’t enough to seal the semifinals series. Maverick Fitz Suarez also had a double-double game of 26 points and 10 rebound in the defending champions’ losing efforts.
On the other hand, the only defending champion who walked away with a win on Sunday was Cebu Landmasters-Batch 2003 of Division B who defeated Puresteel Manufacturing Corporation-Batch 2011, 99-75.
Batch 2003 is a win away from advancing into Division B’s finals, thanks to Justin Ross Huang’s incredible 31-point game paired with 12 rebounds, two steals, one block, and one assist.
Barnett Moncrief Rogado and Wilmer Rodney Ong combined for 20 points to aid Huang.
Kiefer Lim of Batch 2011 spoiled his 21 points in their defeat.
In the other semifinals game, Speed Demon Vivant-Batch 1994/1995/1996 took game one in the other Division A’s semifinals series against ARQ-Batch 2001, 66-49, with Junie Alejandro leading them with 16 points.
In Division B, Efficascent Boost-BRC-Batch 2010 edged ’04 The Win-Batch 2004, 57-41, with Jasper Diaz topscoring the team with 16 points with 18 rebounds.
Lastly, Nest Workspaces-Batch 2013 demolished Batch 2021, 96-70, to grab game one of their Division C semifinals behind Rendell Senining’s double-double game of 16 points with 10 rebounds.
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