DEFENDING champion Batch 1999/BMC Hospital Systems-Hainanese Delights and Batch 1990s/2001-AJL Surplus forged a titular showdown after chalking up their second wins in the semifinal round of the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (Cecaba) 14th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup last Saturday at the CEC Gym.
Both improving to 2-0 (win-loss) in the four-team single round robin semis, number one seed Batch 1999 edged out Batch 1995-La Nueva Pharmacy, 65-61, while Batch 1990s/2001, ranked second in the playoffs, handily defeated Batch 1996-Blakeley’s Motorcare.
Batch 1999 and Batch 1990s/2001 will cap their semifinal assignments against each other in a preview of the championship series on Tuesday. Game 1 of the best-of-three finals will be on Thursday at the same venue.
The towering Mark Bukiron once again spearheaded Batch 1999 with 32 points. Albert Uy added 15 points, while Earn Saguindel chipped in 10 for the defending champions, who remained unbeaten since the previous conference with their 34th straight victory.
Rex Allinson scored 15 points for Batch 1996, while Emmanuel Baron, Brian Patiño and Shaun Wang added 12, 11 and 10, respectively.
As usual, Paul Martin Gabatan led the way for Batch 1990s/2001 with 27 points while Tommy Yu and Peter dela Torre added 15 and 14, respectively.
Dean Dy Teves topped Batch 1995 with 18 markers. Joseph James Yu contributed 13 markers, while Donald Anthony Ting pitched in 10.
THE SCORES
FIRST GAME
BATCH 1990S/2001 (80)- Gabatan 27, Yu 15, Dela Torre 14, Lopez 12, Go 8, Lao 2, Lim 2.
BATCH 1996 (66)- Allinson 15, Baron 12, Patino 11, Wang 10, Donayre 9, Chua A. 4, Chua U. 3, Gaw 2.
SECOND GAME
BATCH 1999 (65)- Bukiron 32, Uy 14, Saguindel 10, Yap 8, Dabatos 1.
BATCH 1995 (61)- Dy Teves 18, Yu 13, Ting 10, Tiu 9, Chica 5, Angcay 3, Arjona 3./EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA