SUN.STAR BB James and FS Car Care Display engage in a knockout match 2 p.m. Saturday, November 26, for the remaining semifinals seat of the exciting Kuya Ed Gaabucayan Memorial Cup.
The winner will join top qualifier Paterno Rent A Car, second-running Soruca Duplexx and third-seed Green CdeO Eagles in the big-4 round’s crossover matches of the 2016 Ballpals Inter-Color basketball tourney on Sunday, November 27 at Barangay 24’s covered court in Cagayan de Oro City.
“This is a very interesting and challenging match for all of us kay mga batan-on ang kontra. Delikado malahos nga ma twice-to-beaten 'mi kay last time around kulata 'mi nila,” said Sun.Star’s team-playing manager "Baby James" Abucejo.
Youthful center-forward Austin Mutya, who is still a high school student at Assumption Montessori School, made life difficult for the No. 4 seed Sun.Star in the opener of the quarterfinal round.
A look-alike of PBA superstar June Mar Fajardo, the very athletic Mutya tormented the Sun.Star dribblers on both ends of the floor, sustaining his double-figure mark with 23 points to lead FS Car’s ego-boosting 58-41 finish.
“We’re being held to our lowest output. Only 41 points ulaw kaayo nga resulta,” rued the veterans-laden Sun.Star side in unison.
Ed "Kuya B1" Gustilo backed up Mutya’s all-around play with 13 points, though it was the playmaking job of Anton Pabillore that keyed FS Car’s improved teamwork.
With Paterno cagers easily disposing of Stronghold Insurance, 82-61 behind the balanced assaults of leading MVP candidate Dan Martinez, Carlo Valcorza, Edgar Ardina and "Baby Face" Rafols, the league’s only guest team Green CdeO Eagles formalized its entry in the semis round by eliminating the Babart Acaylar-led Synob-Jepoy, 68-57.
Birthday boy Waway Arocha starred in the Eagles’ convincing win, knocking in three-straight booming treys in the fourth and final quarter, apart from limiting Acaylar to just 12 points in the ballgame.
“Actually, akong plano nga depensahan lang gayod si Babart bahala’g di ko maka-score,” later said Arocha.
Charlie Butron and Gilbert Magdugo paced the Eagles with 16 and 15 points each.
“Gikan pud 'mi practice nilang mayor (Moreno) sa Team CDO mao nga luya kaayo 'mi,” said Acaylar’s court buddy, Loloy Casiño who could only match Ivan Tongco’s 8 markers from the backcourt.
Soruca Duplexx of coach Bong Mercado fortified its grip of the second place after holding off the disorganized Joproch, 70-62.
“Sayang, dugay 'mi nakaabot kay traffic kaayo,” said the Pagalan siblings of the club’s own living legend Bobby Diaz who could have changed Joproch’s fate had they arrived early.
Joel Patlunag spearheaded Soruca’s triumph with 26 points as Joseph Sumanga and Charles Abada added 16 and 9 points apiece.
