CEBU CITY BAGS 2014 PBA COCA-COLA YOUNGSTARS TITLE
For two years running Cebu City has played the role of the bridesmaid, making it as far as the altar but always stepping aside to let somebody else claim the prize.
Not this time.
Finally the church bells tolled for the long-waiting Cebuanos as they clinched their first PBA Coca-Cola Youngstars championship by whipping Batangas City in the final game, 95-83, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The outcome was never in doubt as the Visayas champion, unleashing a full-court pressure defense from the opening jump, scored the game’s first 10 points on the way to a 29-17 lead in the first quarter and a 55-40 advantage at the half
Their version of the Big 3 was in full force: Jifford Aljon Cahigas unloaded 36 points, Theo Joshua Flores had 21 and Orlan Wamar Jr. 17 points.
Batangas City, led by Raphael Jose Chavez with 34 points, Victor John Alarcon with 22 and Arturo Oliva III with 15, rallied from 17 points down in the third quarter to within, 83-78, with four minutes left, but it was the closest the Southern Luzon qualifier got.
Cebu City, which had back-to-back runnerup finishes to Taytay and Laguna, advanced to the championship game for the third straight year after crushing Cagayan de Oro, 49-34, for its fourth straight win in the final round, while Batangas made it by beating Cebu City, 67-76, in a non-bearing game for the Cebuanos, slamming the door on the chances of Pampanga and Valenzuela.
Scores:
CEBU 95 – Cahigas 36, Flores 21, Wamar 17, Zenarosa 9, Dado 5, Gonzaga 4, Canoy 3, Alforque 0, Dumandan 0, Igot 0, Maglasag 0, Padilla 0.
BATANGAS CITY 83 – Chavez 34, Alarcon 22, Oliva 15, Garcia 4, Macaraig 4, Hernandez 3, Dimayuga 1, Bathan 0, Encarnacion 0 , Igasan 0, Maranan 0.
Quarters: 29-17; 55-40; 76-62; 95-83
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
