PROLIFIC scorer Clyde Caruana had another big game but James Abing was the surprise package for the Black Hawks as they trampled the Gray Wolves, 90-72, to clinch an automatic semifinal berth in the Tambisan Sportsmen Basketball Association (TASBA) Unity Cup last Friday night at the sitio Tambisan court in Mandaue City.Caruana scored a game-high 23 points, Jade Capada contributed 20 and their big numbers were preserved by Abing's finest game in the tournament so far. Abing, who is more known as a defensive stopper, piled up 12 points, all coming from the three-point land. The other automatic semifinalists are the Red Warriors. Black and Red both finished their elimination round campaigns with seven wins and two losses but the Hawks took the number one seeding via the winner-over-the-other rule. Vincent Judilla had 33 points, while Edward Vega added 14 for the Wolves, who were relegated to the wildcard round with their fourth loss in nine games. In the other match, the Violet Slashers ended their elimination round campaign with a 103-92 trashing of the Pink Cobras. Budoy Mendoza, Darwin Judilla, Nelson Judilla, Wilson Damuli and Yoyo Ortiz connived forces to give the wildcard-bound Slashers their fourth win against five defeats. Ariel Chavez scored 24 points for the Cobras, who tasted their seventh loss in eight games. BOX SCORES: BLACK (90)- Caruana 23, Capada 20, Abing 12, Brigoli 11, Piape 8, Samson 6, Pada-on 4.
GRAY (72)- Judilla 33, Vega 15, Ouano 14, Mercader 8, B. Mangubat 2. EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA |
