East rises over West

CEBU, Philippines - The East swept its West rivals in the 16th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Basketball All-Star Games yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

In the collegiate battle, Mark Jayven Tallo sparkled with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists to lead the East past the West, 74-69.

Tallo's all-around show gained him the All-Star MVP hardware and an outright place in elite Mythical Five together with Bernard Catapusan of the University of San Carlos Warriors, Gileant Delator of the University of Cebu Webmasters, and Jerome Napao and  Josue Segumpan of the University of the Visayas Green Lancers.

The East stars opened the game with a 10-0 run leading to an early 14-2 lead but the West fought back with aplomb to pull within just a hairline, 19-20.

The West then used an 11-0 blitz to gain a six-point headway, 30-24, and played consistently thereafter to maintain a  40-35 edge at halftime.

The lead changed hands several times in the third but the East, riding on a 17-9 rally, regained the upperhand, 56-54, going into the final 10 minutes of the contest.

After the West tied the count at 56-all, the East unloaded a 13-5 run to take an eight-point advantage, 69-61, for good. The West threatened for the last time at 68-71 as the East gamely held on its ground to pound out a five-point victory. 

In the juniors division,  Alje Mendez of the Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves unloaded 10 of his 16 points in the final period to lead East to a 92-73   thrashing of the West.

   Mendez, who also pulled down a dozen rebounds, went on to grab the All-Star MVP trophy with his solid double-double show.

   That earned him an automatic spot to the Mythical Five alongside his Don Bosco teammate John Benedict Damolo, Jed Colonia of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles,  Jancork Cabahug of the UV Baby Lancers and James Tempra of the Cebu Eastern College Dragons.

Colonia and fellow Atenean Travis Mantua each scored 11 for the East,  which launched a scintillating offensive in the final half to blow the West out.

Ahead by just eight at the end of the third period, the East eventually shut the lights out of the West after establishing an insurmountable 23-point lead, 88-65,  with only 2:34 left to play.

Cabahug scattered 22 points on top of 16 rebounds, while Luigi Gabisan of the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters had 11 markers in a losing effort for the West.

 In the side events staged in between games, UV sharpshooter Tristan Albina topped both the elimination and final round to emerge as the league's "3-point King," while Garciano Puerto Jr. of UC dominated the Slam Dunk contest. (FREEMAN)