Getting off to a good start with its back-to-back title bid, defending champion Province of Negros Occidental tamed Globe Asiatique-University of St. La Salle, 75-65, yesterday in the curtain-raiser of the 10th Tan Kek Pin Memorial Cup Basketball Tournament at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School Po Hang Gym.

Rex Bayer scored 18 points to lead the charge of the Godoy Cepriano-mentored Capitol guys, who started to pull away in the second canto after allowing the La Salle team to take control of the first quarter with a four-point lead at 10-14.

Opting to play big in the second quarter, Cepriano tapped Joseph Arenas and Ryan Maningo to play the post while Joemarie Bayhon fired away from the perimeters for a 15-point lead, 35-20, at halftime.

Coach Daniel Chiu and his wards tried to catch up in the third quarter as Cepriano gave his bigmen some rest, but La Salle’s effort fell short as its key players had some difficulty converting their shots, including free throws.

Still, the USLS team managed to cut the deficit to three points, 54-57, with 5:24 left in the third quarter but missed charity shots and passing errors in the ensuing plays cost them the game.

Province, on the other hand, never lost focus despite a La Salle rally, using their skills and experience to register their first win in the tournament.

Jobel Abaring topscored for Globe Asiatique-La Salle with 18 points while Scott Salvacion finished with 14 markers.

Meanwhile, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas regional director Robert Uy lauded the Fil-Sino Athletic Club, organizers of the Tan Kek Pin tournament, for doing a good job in Bacolod City.

From eight teams in year 2000, the SBP regional chief said he witnessed how the league expanded through the years, and this year, he congratulated the organizers for tapping the participation of 26 teams.

Uy stressed that more than winning the game, basketball is about learning, making friends, and unity among the team members. He also invited the Fil-Sino group in Bacolod to join SBP as one of its members.

Seeing action in this year’s edition of the TKP are: Class A -- Province of Negros Occidental, PD 888 Handy Fix, Globe Asiatique La Salle, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, Red Phoenix, and Colegio de San Agustin-Bacolod.

Class B – (Bracket A) Pag-IBIG Fund, FilSino, East West, Pepsi, Macro Tide, Tropics, and Mitzu; (Bracket B) Davies-Willtrade, Probac, BBC, Talisay City, Nepan Clear, D’Twins/RCA.

Teams joining the Class C category of the tournament will be announced later, the organizers said.*NAB

back to top

Defending titlist Province off to a good start in TKP
Aklan postpones WVRAA in March