BACK ON TRACK
By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
Defending champion Esdevco-Genesis regained its form but not after going through a harrowing 40-minute gun duel with a fighting The Royal Mandaya Hotel before hacking out a 77-71 win on Sunday for its second win in the 2016 Escandor Group of Companies Basketball Tourament at the Genesis Gym.
Former varrsity standouts Archiel Garcia and Jim Sandre Costan gave the Realtors much headache in the close battle between the league’s erstwhile second-running squads in the standings as both teams entered the ballgame with a 1-1 win-loss mark.
Usually steady Realtors’ reigning most valuable player Francis Gabriel Escandor gave up some of his space from the rainbow mark and elected to drive to the hoop and bleed for his points in the face of a tough defense put up by the Hoteliers.
The younger Escandor fired a game-high 25 points but had to settle for only three hits from his favorite range beyond the arc. None even dropped for his shots from there in the final period as he was limited to just four points.
Cyril Torreon stepped up when it mattered most in the second hald firing 14 of his 24 points while Gio Binoya added 14 points aside from dishing off nifty assists.
Marksman Glenn Escandor, hounded throughout the match, was also limited to just 8 points on two hits from the trifecta distance.
Costan paced the Hoteliers with 21 markers while Garcia added 16.
The Realtors now tote a 2-1 record in the six-team league and moved up to second overall. The Hoteliers dropped to 1-2.
In other games, unbeaten White House continued to hold sway in the league with a 91-85 conquest of DASIA to cement its stronghold of the lead with a 3-0 card. DASIA dropped to 2-1 in a tie with Esdevco-Genesis whom they upset last week.
Premia Packing picked up its first win over KADSIA 85-70.
The tournament is sanctioned by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas under regional director Regino “Boy” Cua.
TEAM STANDINGS
W L
WHITE HOUSE 3 0
DASIA 2 1
ESDEVCO-GENESIS 2 1
TRMH 1 2
PREMIA PACKING 1 2
KADSIA 0 3
