CEBU CITY – Alaska and Talk ’N Text came away with convincing wins at the start of the 2014 Cebu City Charter Day Cup Friday night at the Cebu Coliseum.
The defending Commissioner’s Cup champion Aces, with last year’s Best Import Rob Dozier back, defeated GlobalPort, 87-79.
The Texters blasted the Mindanao-based commercial team Tagoloan Tigers, 105-70, at the start of the single round-robin pocket tournament.
The Batang Pier were within one, 62-63, heading to the fourth quarter but the Aces came up with a 20-4 blast to pull away.
Calvin Abueva completed a three-point play, Cyrus Baguio swished a fadeaway jumper and Gabby Espinas scored on a putback that gave the Aces an 83-66 lead at the halfway point of the fourth.
Dozier paced the Aces with 19 points while Baguio chipped in 14.
Terrence Romeo led the Batang Pier, who played without Jay Washington and Eric Menk, with 20 points even as import Evan Brock added 16 markers. Point guard Alex Cabagnot, recently acquired from Petron for Sol Mercado, went scoreless.
In the first match, import Richard Howell was impressive in limited minutes as he logged in 19 points while KG Canaleta had 15 spiked by five three-pointers. Ranidel de Ocampo added 12 points as the Texters dominated their opponents from the opening tip until the final buzzer.
The Tigers got 13 from former Air21 wingman Patrick Cabahug and 10 each from local stalwarts Ian Saladaga and Jovannie Aguilar.
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