ITOGON VALLEY BOYS LEAD YAP BASKETBALL LEAGUE, CALIVO FEARNS SECOND PLAYER OF THE GAME AWARD

October 26, 2024 Community Billboard

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet

Itogon and La Trinidad won their third games, Bokod lurks behind, a win for a determined Kabayan, while a Tuba player had his second player of the game award even as typhoon Kristine caused the cancellation of games in
Kapangan Thursday night are the highlight of the Cong. Eric Go Yap Congressional Cup Benguet Basketball League this week. La Trinidad welcomed back Will Kean Lee to lead the defending champion to an 88- 57 victory over Buguias.

Lee, who ended his Maharlika Professional Basketball League campaign when Abra lost to Pampanga in the quarterfinals to end his two game absence from the Congressional Cup, scored 28 points in a double-double performance on his debut with 12 rebounds, seven assists and five steals last Saturday at the Benguet Sports Complex. Earlier, Lenard Cabanes had a 19-6-1-3 (points-rebounds-assists-steals) performance to lead Itogon to a
112-66 rout of Kibungan. The 46 point margin was also the biggest yet in the two week old tournament backed by Rep. Yap, the ACT-CIS Partylist, the office of Gov. Melchor Diclas and Media for Sports Development.

Bokod took its second win in the tournament with Rey Bilibli leading the team past Mankayan 81-58. The former
University of Baguio guard led the Ambuklao Dam residents with a 22-7-7-5 performance to win top individual honors that day. Arvin Gamboa and sharpshooter Kyle Naisod scored 22 and 18 points, respectively, to bounce back
from a one point loss to powerhouse La Trinidad with a 76-69 conquest of Kapangan. Jervie Calivo, meanwhile,
scored nine of his 14 point effort in the third quarter to turn a seven point halftime lead into a 12 point advantage after the third quarter as Tuba outlasted Tublayl 73-57, for the team’s second win.

On Tuesday, in Sablan, Calivo scored a low 10 markers to help Tuba past Kapangan, 58- 53, for the team’s third win in four games. Calivo also became the first player to win back to back individual honors in the league. Khurt Ciano had just nine points, but was enough to lead Sablan to a 50-48 victory of Tublay at home also Tuesday. No Sablan player scored in double digit. The 98 combined points is the lowest in the league, while the 50 is the lowest winning
score and 48 is the lowest losing score. On Wednesday night, Commissioner Roderick Osis announced the cancellation of games that was supposed to be held at Kapangan.

Osis in his announcement wrote: “With tropical cyclone signal number 3 already hoisted in the Province of Benguet and other parts of North Luzon, the scheduled game(s) tomorrow, October 24, in the Municipality of Kapangan,… will be cancelled and will be moved to a later date.” The games slated in Kapangan are between Bakun and Tubay and host Kapangan against Buguias. He added: “The safety of all participants and attendees is our top priority, and with the current weather situation, it is in the best interest of everyone to avoid unnecessary risks.” There will be no games on Saturday in basketball but the volleyball games will be hosted by Sablan in October 27.

The games will see Tuba eye its second win when it meets a debuting Kabayan at 8AM, Itogon hopes to bounce back after defaulting its game last Sunday against Kibungan when it crosses path with Bakun. Itogon became the first
ever team in the Yap Cup to have its game defaulted for failing to arrive on time. At noon, it will be Bokod trying to earn its second win against a beefed up but winless Buguias, then it will be Atok against Mankayan. The last game will see the first biggest game when favorite Sablan tests another touted team in La Trinidad. Both won their games last Sunday and are at the top of the Benguet Women’s Volleyball League.

Pigeon Lobien/ABN