Steeltech-Red wins Steeltech Playball 2017

CEBU, Philippines — Steeltech-Red grabbed the championship of the Steeltech Playball Cebu Invitational Cup 2017 held at the Lux Oriens Gym at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu campus in Canduman, Mandaue City. They defeated Steeltech-Green, 46-35, in the championship game after sweeping all its games in the elimination round and semifinals.

 The trio of Brian Acebedo, Ferdinand Tiro and Erlo Rebosura combined in and end-game run wipe out a deficit and take the game strongly in the end. Up 13-11 at the run, Steeltech-Red was caught flat-footed by an 11-2 run by Steeltech-Orange which saw the Orangemen on top 22-15, halfway through the last period. The trio then conspired for a counter 17-1 rally to put the game out of reach with 30 seconds left.

 The rally included 13 unanswered points that left Steeltech-Orange scoreless for four minutes in the end-game. Acebedo led the team with 12 while Rebosura added 11. Darwin Tan led Steeltech-Orange with 14. Steeltech-Red had earlier swept its group, 3-0, before ousting Steeltech-Green in the semifinals, 46-35. In the game for third place, Steeltech-Violet nipped Steeltech-Green, 30-28.

 The Steeltech Playball Cebu Invitational Cup 2017 was a one-day basketball festival/tournament for architects, contractors and other players in the construction industry.

This featured shortened games of two ten-minute periods per game for the eight teams that were split into two groups of four each. Each group played a single-round robin elimination phase, with the top two ranked teams per group qualifying for the cross-over semifinals. (FREEMAN)