BY CYRUS M. GARDE
BACOLOD City – Sweet Crystal and AACI Trading posted initial wins in the opening games of the FiI-Sino All-Asian Countertrade Inc. 1st Conference Inter-Company basketball tournament at the Po Hang Gym of Bacolod Tay Tung High School.
Sweet Crystal defeated JSY Countertrade, 81-69 while AACI Trading neutralized Basecom, 89-73.
AACI Trading’s Robbie Jalandoon delivered 16 of his game-high 28 points in the penultimate quarter as he singlehandedly outscored Basecom.
Trading’s Jeremy Coo, Danny Boy Uy and Jalandoon combined for 33 points with Keith Banzon connecting for three triples to take the half, 49-42.
Basecom Allen Uy and Biboy Uysang had a good spot in the game with 11 and eight points, respectively, and even grabbed the lead in the third quarter, 64-61.
Banzon collects five triples in the game for 15 points; Uy added 14; Jeremy Coo with 13 and Brian Coo hit seven.
Dr. Emil Guanzon paced Basecom with 12 points; Chief Insp. Adonis Rosales shot 11 and Ritchie Militante had 10.
Meanwhile, JSY Countertrade got a balance output from eight of their players scoring at least four points.
Kevin Hinolan scored eight points to stay in front, 41-36 at the half.
Carl John Oquindo and Toffel Tan delivered nine and seven points, respectively, for Sweet Crystal.
But Sweet Crystal grounded Countertrade in the second half as Ralph Richard Tan knocked down three treys and Oquindo scored six points for, 61-56 advantage in the third quarter.
Oquindo top scored for Sweet with 23 points; Atty. Jubert Katalbas connected with 17; Ralph Richard Tan made 14; Toffel Tan had 11 and Joseph Oxinio hit six.
Michael Ang had 12 points highlighted with four triples in a losing effort; Daniel Ong added 11; Simon Tan and Mark Velez with eight points; Kieron Tan and Bermudez with seven each./PN
