BACK-TO-BACK champion Batch 1999/Southchoice Inc. started its three-peat drive in rousing fashion while keeping an amazing streak alive as it dumped CEC-D, 88-62, last Thursday in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (Cecaba) 15th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup at the CEC Gym.
It was a rematch of last year’s championship duel and Batch ‘99 showed it still owned CEC-D’s number, pulling off the 26-point rout behind the stellar game of Mark Bukiron.
Bukiron fired a whopping 44 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds. Alvin Uy added 12 points and Alvin Balila pitched in 11 markers for Batch ‘99, which padded its winning streak to 38 dating back to the past two seasons.
It has been a dominant run for Batch ‘99 as it has yet to lose a single game in its two straight championship finishes.
Swept by Batch ‘99 in their best-of-three title series last year, CEC-D lost their chance to take sweet revenge as it stumbled after start the tournament with a 69-62 win over Batch last Tuesday.
Tommy Yu led CEC-D with 15 markers, Jim Paul Yankee contributed 14, while John Quilacio had 10.
In the other game, Batch 1995/Millennium Hardware got off to a 2-0 (win-loss) start by trampling Batch 1988, 74-55.
Following up its 70-61 opening day win over CEC-B/PTT Roadstar, Batch 1995 got 26 markers from Donald Anthony Ting, and 10 points each from Dean Dy Teves and Joseph James Yu.
Both Richard Yu and Erwin Yu scored 15 markers for Batch ‘88, which lost anew after dropping its first assignment against CEC-A, 54-61.