Yee Chun Leong
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
HUI HUANG Enterprise advanced to the final of the YOU.C1000 Fuzhou Cup after edging Bandar Estates 70-63 last night.
Hui Huang had started the fourth period with seven unanswered points to open up an 11-point advantage - the only time either team led by double figures in the encounter - at 56-45 with eight minutes left in the game.
Bandar Estates, who carried a nine-game unbeaten winning streak into the encounter, were unfazed and clawed their way back at the Fuzhou Shiyyi Association building in Berakas.
They missed their chance to go in front for the first time since the opening period with just over three minutes left after Eric Palanca missed both his freethrows with the scoreboard reading 61-60.
Esmond Tan then converted a layup plus a foul immediately at the other end.
He missed the ensuing freethrow but Francis Barcellano grabbed the offensive rebound for the putback and was also fouled.
The Filipino big man made no mistake and completed the and-one for a five-point swing to put Hui Huang ahead by six points.
Bandar Estates turned the ball over the next possession allowing Lim Aik Hock to score on the break to make it a three-possession game at 68-60.
Hui Huang picked up defensively and their opponents simply couldn't cut the deficit.
With Hui Huang up by six points with just over a minute left, they ran the clock but came up empty.
Elvin Requintin was short on his three-point attempt at the other end and Bandar Estates fouled Benjamin to send him to the line with 23 seconds left.
He split his charities and it was enough to see Hui Huang progress to Sunday’s final - one win away from the $5,000 prize.
Hui Huang shooting guard Kevin Tay felt that it was team effort at the defensive end that got them the victory.
“Defence got us the win. We lost against TK because we lacked that and today we played tough D,“ said Tay in an interview with BruSports News after the triumph.
“Everyone did their job by boxing out, hustling for the ball, rebounding and defending well. We didn’t give up on any possession and that made the difference.
“They (Bandar Estates) are a good team with good scorers as seen in their comebacks but in the end it was our defence that held up,” he added.
Hui Huang had distributed scoring with Barcellano leading the way with 19 points.
Aik Hock had 12 points, which included two three-pointers, while Tan notched 11 to his name.
The duo of Benjamin and Soon Kian Leong had 10 points each in the win.
Over at the other side, Palanca paced Bandar Estates with 19 points while Elvin Requintin contributed 15 in a losing effort.
They will await the winner of the second semi-final between TK Tea House and BruPay at 8.45pm today.
Over in the veteran category, Digimark are through to the final after defeating BDBA-RYS 64-55.
They will face either TK Tea House or Linktech as they battle in the other last-four game at 7.15pm.
