FCVBA 60s reach ASEAN vets final

MANILA, Philippines — Former Grace Christian High School star Danny Ching keyed a third quarter surge as Filipino-Chinese Veterans Basketball Association (FCVBA) turned back host Hat Yai, 72-63, to advance to the final round of the 60-and-above team division of the 27th ASEAN Basketball Veterans tournament at the Prince Songkla University gym in Thailand Thursday.

The 5-foot-10 Ching led all FCVBA scorers with 15 points spiked by a buzzer-beating triple at the half. With Elmer Reyes, Aries Franco and Elmer Latonio, the 60s outscored their rivals in the third period, 25-11, to pull away at 60-47 heading to the fourth.

Franco then took charge to finish with 13 points while Reyes and  Latonio added 11 markers apiece as FCVBA stayed unbeaten since the elims.

Ex-La Salle star Kenneth Yap scored only eight points but vowed to go all-out in their winner-take-all match being played at press time with Pontianac of Indonesia Friday.

But the FCVBA 65 team took a 38-40 beating from Sarawak of Malaysia.

“It was a tough loss but I’m still happy our 60s made it to the finals,” said Ironcon Builders’ Jimi Lim who bankrolled the delegation’s participation together with Rain or Shine co-team owner Terry Que and Freego’s Eduard Tio.

The 65s blew their own chance to score a three-peat after misfiring in the last four minutes that saw the Malaysians outscore them 8-2.