MARK Bukiron came up big in the battle of league-leaders as he powered back-to-back defending champion Batch 1999/Southchoice Inc. to a 75-70 win over Batch 1995/New Millennium Hardware last Thursday in the Cebu Eastern College Alumni Basketball Association (Cecaba) 15th Dr. Chen Lieh Fu Memorial Cup at the CEC Gym.
The hulking Bukiron terrorized the paint en route to finishing with 33 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals to lead Batch ’99 to eighth win in nine games that installed them at solo top spot in the team standings.
Earn Saguindel added 18 markers and Albert Uy chipped in 13 markers and 10 rebounds.
Batch ’95 went into the game holding the number one spot but faltered despite getting 19 markers and 15 boards from Dean Dy Teves.
Joseph James Yu scattered 18 points, Donald Anthony Ting produced 15 markers and Ken Dabatos contributed 12 for Batch ’95, which dropped to 8-2 (win-loss).
Also pocketing a victory in the homestretch of the league’s elimination round was CEC-A/ACY Shipping/Koi Herbal, which tripped CEC-E, 66-57.
Juan Carlo Espada coughed up 18 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two steals, Raymark Ong donated 18 markers and Gino Abella came away with 16 markers for CEC-A, which bagged its sixth victory in eight matches.
It was CEC-E’s third defeat in nine games.
Cedric Chua led the losing team with 18 markers, while Norman Lopez cashed in 11 markers.