BY CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City – The Huminova Tigers won a crucial match against Sweet Crystal, 93-86 to keep alive its quarterfinal hope in the ongoing Fil-Sino All Asian Countertrade Inc. 1st Conference Inter-Company Basketball tournament at the Po Hang Gym of Bacolod Tay Tung High school.
JSY Transport, on the other hand, was at second spot after defeating Royal Star Trading.
Both Sweet Crystal and Royal Star were eliminated, posting 1-6 cards each.
Sweet Crystal (2-4) took the first half, 47-41 with Ralph Richard Tan and Livingstone Ang scored 13 points apiece as teammates Mark Yu and Nico Lopingco added eight each.
Leonard Kilayko and Brian Tan combined for 25 points to keep the Tigers within striking distance in the first half.
But the Tigers overtook Sweet in the third quarter, 69-67.
Lopingco and Atty. Jubert Katalbas combined for 14 points for Sweet, but RB Chua of the Tigers made 10 points to compliment with Kilayko’s six for a quarterfinal slot.
Kilayko top-scored with 28 points; Brian Tan added 19; Glin Ortaliz, 17; Ong hit 10; and R. De Los Santos had nine.
Ang led Sweet with Ralph Richard Tan adding 18; Lopingco, 15; Katalbas and Yu shot 14 each, and Toffel Tan had six.
Meanwhile, Royal Star tried to fend off elimination against JSY Transport and ended at 41-all.
But JSY Transport limited the Star with only seven points in the third quarter for 66-48 lead.
Carlo Chu sizzled with 21 points for Transport; Ryan Alegario added 16; Julius Teruel, Timothy Uy and Ardian Ong score 13 points each; and Joseph Tiu made 10.
Eugene Tsai scored a game high 27 points for the Star; Johann Villanueva, 19; Eduardo Ng, 10 and Devin Villacruz, six./PN