FORMER UAAP Most Valuable Player Kiefer Ravena delivered his finest performance yet as Mighty Sports whipped Sta. Lucia, 80-67, Friday night to extend its unbeaten start to four games in the PCBL Chairman’s Cup at Marikina Sports Center.
The ex-Ateneo star pumped in 22 points on 10-of-16 shooting as Mighty served notice of its title aspirations.
Bright Akhuetie finished with 18 points and 19 rebounds for Mighty, winning his personal duel with Sta. Lucia reinforcement Prince Eze who happens to be his teammate at Perpetual Help.
The 6-foot-7 Akhuetie put the finishing touches in the victory with six points inside the last three minutes.
Eze who replaced Landry Sanjo at the last minute still finished with 15 points and 10 boards but he could do little from preventing the Realtors from suffering their second loss in four games. Sta. Lucia share second spot with Jumbo Plastic.
Byaheng SCTEX pulled off an 87-76 victory over Euro-Med in the second game.
With PBA D-League standouts Raul Soyud and Byron Villarias and ex-pro Pamboy Raymundo and Alfred Batino joining the squad, SCTEX finally broke into the win column after debuting with a double overtime loss to Foton.
Soyud, who played for UP QRS Jam Liner in the D-League, wasted little time making an impact, unleashing a double-double performance of 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The sweet-shooting Villarias knocked in 17 points built on 4-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
The scores
First Game
MIGHTY SPORTS 80 — Ravena 22, Akhuetie 18, Celada 11, Lopez 9, Banal 7, Tang 6, Gonzaga 3, Montilla 2, M. Bringas 2, Mangahas 0, Regalado 0, A. Bringas 0, Wongchuking 0.
STA. LUCIA 67 — Eze 15, Salado 15, Romero 8, Cawaling 8, Vidal 6, Bautista 6, Ilagan 5, Bangga 4, Escosio 0, de la Cruz 0, Koga 0, Gabriel 0.
Quarters: 18-11, 32-31, 59-49, 80-67
Second Game
SCTEX 87 — Soyud 20, Villarias 17, Rios 11, Raymundo 10, Hermida 9, Batino 7, del Rosario 5, Sotto 4, Aguara 2, Pangilinan 2, Reyes 0.
EURO-MED 76 — Adeogun 22, Galanza 21, Capacio 11, Saitanan 8, Salcedo 4, Almario 4, Tajonera 3, Raymundo 2, Gil 1, Luib 0, Sollano 0, Custodio 0, Vigil 0, Quinto 0.
Quarters: 16-18, 39-24, 64-47, 87-76