CEBU, Philippines – Brothers Franz Dione and Kenneth Dysam connived for 28 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals to power the defending champion Convergys Converters bucked off a sluggish start to turn back the Lexmark Stallions, 61-54, in a rematch of last year's finals in the Tanduay Athletics CSCC E-Leagues for Basketball Season 13 last Saturday at the City Sports Club Cebu gym.
Primo Paloma, Ildefonso Bulangis and Lourenz Limpangog also figured prominently with 22 points combined as the Converters fortified their hold of the third sport in the Elite Classic with an improved 5-1 win-loss record.
The Converters actually trailed by eight points after the opening period, 10-18, but bounced back with finesse in the next two quarters to pull within just a hairline, 36-37, entering the final 10 minutes.
The Converters sustained their momentum to eventually finish off the Stallions using a 25-17 run in the windup.
Sylvester Millevo netted 11 points while Franco Angelo Cipriano banged in 10 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for the Stallions, who suffered their third loss in seven games.
In the Evo League, Roberto Castro, Jr. had an all-around show of 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals to lift the Contact Solutions Flying Lemurs to a 71-70 squeaker over the QBE Generals, Ar-Jay Jumao-as sparkled with 25 points laced with five steals and three rebounds as the Teletech Titans escaped past the Optum Knights, 59-57, while Francis Buck Manzanares scored 18 and Donald Stephen de Leon pumped in 17 markers on top of 12 rebounds and three assists to vault the Author Solutions, Inc. (ASI) Hardbacks to a 64-52 drubbing of Shearwater Health Crusaders. —EBV (FREEMAN)