MANILA, Philippines — A pair of down-the-wire matches in the recreational division highlighted the second week of the 2014 BPO Classics basketball tournament at the Makati Coliseum.
Microsourcing, Inc. nipped Shell Business Service Centre-Manila, 45-44, last April 6 on a game-winning triple by Vicar Dizo for its first win in the tournament of BPO backed-squads.
Dizo missed his previous 10 shots from the field, but nailed the biggest shot of the night on his first try from downtown. He finished with five points with Reyniel Santos leading Microsourcing Inc. with 16 points.
Rey Gonzaga Jr., meanwhile, completed a three-point play off a breakaway to lift Telstra over Ammex I-Support, 55-53.
It capped a great performance for Gonzaga, who were among the topscorers for Telstra with 13 points. Paul William Flores finished with 15.
Both Telstra and Microsourcing Inc., which bagged their debut victories, are new additions to this year’s BPO Classics pool. The tournament is organized by One Unite Sports.
It was a stark contrast in the intermediate division as Microsourcing EV and EXL Service Philippines, Inc. pulled off separate routs.
Renier Jimenez put on a monster showing with 15 points, 17 rebounds, and five assists as Microsourcing EV blasted Xerox, 58-46. Alvin Villar also had a stellar showing with a game-best 18 markers.
Alejandro Manaog was the lone scorer in double digits for Xerox with 14 points.
Earlier, EXL came home with a dominating 72-46 win over Stefanini behind Reniel Patrick Belen’s 19 points.
In the competitive division, defending BPO Classics champion Expert Global Solutions kept its unbeaten slate after slipping past Sykes Asia, Inc., 69-66.
Four players chipped in double digit points for EGS paced by Russel Quiambao’s 15-point, 10-rebound outing. Quiambao finished with 22 points in their opening game.
EGS’s title retention campaign is off to a solid start with its 2-0 slate.
HSBC, on the other hand, debuted with 67-56 triumph over Shell Business Service Centre – Manila.
Paolo Jay Yasay sparkled with 17 points on 5-of-11 shooting from downtown while Chris Richard Baylon deliver 12 points and six boards for HSBC. Ronald Bernardo hauled down 10 boards.
The valiant efforts of Bernie Beluan, Doods Caadan and Martin Tombucon all went down the drain with the loss. Beluan finished with 15 points, Cadaan had 13 points and 17 boards and Tombucon 10 and 12.
