Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
TK TEA House weathered a late storm to be crowned champions of the YOU.C1000 Fuzhou Cup after defeating Hui Huang Enterprise 78-67 in the final last night.
Jayson Gisalan, who was named the MVP, put up 27 points to lead TK while S D Megallon added 20 points.
Darrel Dela Cruz was the other in double figures as he poured in 14 points in the win at the Fuzhou Shiyyi Association building in Berakas.
On the other hand, the pair of Esmond Tan and Benjamin Lim, who got all his points from behind the three-point line, each had 18 points to pace Hui Huang.
Kevin Tay contributed 11 points while Francis Barcellano chipped in 10 to a losing cause.
TK had carried a 60-44 lead into the fourth quarter after Allen Salvador beat the third period buzzer with a close range basket.
Gisalan scored his side’s first eight points in the decisive frame including a pair of freethrows to put TK in front 66-47 with eight minutes to play.
However, Hui Huang turned things around as they picked up at the defensive end and got the ball down low to Tan to score.
With back-to-back baskets by Tan and Hui Huang producing a stop with a 24-second violation, TK took a much needed timeout.
But it didn’t stop the the lead going down to 12 with Lim knocking down a trey to cut the deficit to 66-54 midway through.
TK were held without a basket for almost four minutes and Hui Huang closed to within single figures after another basket by Tan with just four minutes to play.
Gisalan produced an answer as he ended the rot with a tough layup at the other end.
It remained an eight-point game after Tan, who scored 15 fourth quarter points, hit both his charities.
However, Hui Huang were unable to get any closer as they couldn’t get their outside shots to fall despite their defensive prowess.
A Dela Cruz layup followed by a short jumper by Gisalan with over a minute left then sealed the victory for TK.
Meanwhile, TK completed the double with a 93-73 victory over Digimark in the veteran category.
Present to give away the prizes to the winners of the open category was Hii Hua King, the Managing Director of Hui Huang Enterprise, while Fuzhou Shiyyi Association president Jackson Ting handed out the prizes to the winners of the veteran category.
