The 13th season of the oldest running alumni basketball league in the city ended Sunday with another championship to its most experienced and winningest batch as Pier One outplayed the young upstarts of Samsung, 55-47, to win the 2008 SHABA title.  Powered by the core group of Batch ’90, who have now won 7 SHABA titles, Pier One bullied Samsung inside while Dennis Que was a menace on defense and a one-man scoring machine.  Que exploded for 29 points while registering 7 steals, including a crucial one in the last 2 minutes and scoring his team’s last 7 points.  Pier One led for most of the game as multiple SHABA MVP winners Theogene Lim and Chad Canares backed up Que on offense.  Both teams struggled on offense early on but Pier One’s defense kept Samsung’s high-octane offense at bay. But Samsung staged a furious 4th quarter rally behind Antonio Datan, Kester Gajudo and Jovenson Cimafranca to trim the lead to 1, 48-47,with less than 2 minutes to go.  With ball possession to Samsung and a chance to grab the lead, Que made his 7th steal and scored to give Pier One a 3-point lead.  After Samsung failed to score, Que then nailed a big 3-pointer to seal the game for Pier One. Que’s 29 points led all scorers while Theogene Lim added 10 and Canares 8.  Three-time MVP Dave Lim was held to just 3 points.  Gajudo led Samsung with 13 points with Cimafranca adding 12.  Sharpshooter Eldie Cabahug finished with 7 points and failed to make a 3-pointer in the Finals.

BOX SCORES:
Pier One (55) – Que 29, T. Lim 10, Canares 8, D. Lim 3, Tan 3, Ting 2.
Samsung (47) – Gajudo 13, Cimafranca 12, Datan 9, Cabahug 7, Lao 3, Tuano 3.
 Qtr. Scores: 18-15, 30-25, 44-38, 55-47.

 Press Release courtesy of Mr. Richard Ho

 The 2008 Sacred Heart Alumni Basketball Association (SHABA) Best-of-Three Finals featured a classic match-up of experience against youth. Third seed Samsung, composed mostly of Batch 2005, marked its first ever Finals appearance by knocking out defending champion Transrover in the semis.  Pier One, whose line-up features the core group of Batch 1990, eliminated top seed Worldwide Steel. Pier One dictated the tempo right from the start as they clamped down on defense to ground Samsung’s dynamic duo of Antonio Datan and Eldie Cabahug, son of former PBA star Elmer “Boy” Cabahug.  Two-time SHABA MVP Theogene Lim kicked off Pier One’s offense in the first half as the veterans raced off to a 31-24 halftime lead.  MVP candidate Dennis Que, 3-time MVP Dave Lim & 2-time MVP Chad Canares ballooned Pier One’s lead to 10 at the end of the 3rd quarter.  But Cabahug, whose performance this year also warrants MVP consideration,  spearheaded Samsung’s rally early in the 4th quarter to cut the deficit to 4.  But the championship tested Pier One veterans rode on the shoulders of Lim & Que to thwart off Samsung’s comeback as they pulled away with a 59-46 victory. Pier One can win the title with a victory in Game 2, scheduled this Sunday at the old SHS-J Gym in Mango Avenue. Gametime is at 1:30 PM. Meanwhile, defending champion Transrover claimed 3rd place with a 67-45 rout over Worldwide Steel.

BOX SCORES:
Pier One (59) – T. Lim 15, Que 14, D. Lim 10, Canares 8, Ting 5, F. Tan 3, K. Tan 2.
Samsung (46) – Cabahug 16, Acha 8, Datan 8, Lao 7, Gajudo 3, Cimafranca 2, Tancinco 2.
Qtr. Scores: 13-10, 31-24, 44-34, 59-46.

Press Release courtesy of Mr. Richard Ho

Transrover (67) – Dela Calzada 20, Chua 18, Edquila 15, Co 6, Saso 5, De Jesus 3.
Worldwide Steel (45) – Sala 17, Reoma 15, Sia 6, Lim 3, Go 2, Tan 2.
Qtr. Scores: 20-7, 34-17, 49-29, 67-45.

Pier 1, 59

Samsung, 46

 Pier leads 1-0.

Battle for third place result:

Transrover, 67 (THIRD PLACE)

Worldwide Steel, 45

GAME 1:
September 24, Wednesday, 7:30PM
Court 1:  Samsung vs. Pier 1 (FINALS)
Court 2:  Worldwide vs. Home Options (Battle for 3rd place)

GAME 2:
September 28, 2008, Sunday, 1:30PM
Court 1:  Samsung vs. Pier 1 (FINALS)

GAME 3: if needed
October 5, 2008, Sunday, 1:30PM
Court 1:  Samsung vs. Pier 1 (FINALS)

NOTE:  FINALS is best of three series
Battle for 3rd place is a knockout game

September 14, 2008
Pier 1, 55
Que 10, Ting 6, Lim 12, Canares 9, Go 2, Lim 9, Tan 7
Worldwide, 41
Sy 6, Reoma 4, Lim2 , Tan 3, Ong 11, K Ong 7, Mangubat 6, Go 2

Samsung, 63
Tancinco 6, Gajudo 15, Acha 9, Tuano 2, Datan 8, Cimafranca 23
Transrover, 59
Dela Calzada 7, Ong I. 12, Sulay 8, Tomaquin 8, Edquila 20, Co 4

September 17, 2008
Pier 1 wins over Worldwide
Samsung wins over Transrover/Home Options

Samsung and Pier 1 advances to Finals