HOBE Bihon  demolished  Logohu, 125-104, while  Wang’s Ballclub subdued Lyceum of the Philippines-Uratex, 98-92, to complete the semifinal  round cast in  the 2011 MBL Open  basketball championship at  the RTU gym in  Mandaluoyng City.

Former  Red Bull  mainstay Warren Ybanez led six other players with  double-digit  scores to lead  the Junnel  Mendiola-mentored Hobe to  victory  and  a  semifinal spot against No. 2 University of Santo Tomas-Ironcon Builders.    

The  5-9 Ybanez  scattered a  game-high 25 points for Hobe, which finished in a three-way tie for the  top spot in the  elimination round but dropped to No. 3 due to inferior  tiebreak score.

American Jason Davis  also  stood tall with 19 points, including  four picture-perfect slam dunks.  Ismael  Junio added 18 points, former Purefoods mainstay Braulio Lim had  16 points, Jeff Sanders had  12  and Jayson  Misolas had 10.

RJ  Patricio carried the fight for  Logohu with team-high 32 points,  followed by Roger Malig-On with 22.

Wang’s  Ballclub  survived a  scare late in the fourth  period  to slam the door on the hard-fighting Lyceum-Uratex and arrange a semifinal encounter against elimination round topnotcher Foscon Ship Management.

Former FedEx/Air 21 standout  Biboy  Simon and  Fil-Am Mark Anthony Cuevas provided the 1-2 punch for Wang’s Ballclub of coach Pablo Lucas and owner Alex Wang.

Simon struck with 25 points, while Cuevas added 15 points, mostly on  powerful one-on-one  plays, to lead the Mandaluyong-based team to the hard-earned triumph over Lyceum-Uratex.

Wang’s  controlled the early part of the game,  taking  as much as  a 20-point lead behind the hot hand s of  Simon,  Ramon Litonjua and Edrick Ferrer, who combined for 15 three-point shots.

But the Pirates, who  played under assistant coach Chris Brower in the absence  of head coach Bonnie Tan, made the game a lot more interesting   when they  outscored Wang's,  34-15, in the third  period  to come to within 74-75 going into the payoff period.

It was close from there with Wang’s  and Lyceum-Uratex trading baskets.

Cuevas  then came  through with back-to back baskets in the closing seconds, including a  difficult  putback that sealed  the  win  for Wang’s.

Chris Cayabyab  paced  Lyceum-Uratex with 34 markers.

The tournament is being  supported by Smart Sports, Dickies Underwear, PRC Couriers, WG Diners and  Big  Banners Tarpaulin.

The scores

First game

Hobe Bihon (125) -- Ybanez 25, Davis 19, Junio 18, Rivera 18, Lim 16, Sanders 12, Misolas 10, De Castro 4, Dela Cuesta 3.

Logohu (104) -- R. Patricio 32, Malig-On 22, Delos Trinos 21,  J. Patricio 18, Macasaet 9, Camba 2.

Quarterscores:  41-16, 76-40, 103-61, 125-104.

Second  game

Wang's Ballclub (98) -- Simon 25, Cuevas 15, Ra.Litonjua 15, Lingao-Lingao 9, Manthe 7, Ferrer 7, Reyes 6, Araman 4, Diaz 4, Regalado 3, Ri.Litonjua 2, Maurillo 0.

Lyceum-Uratex  (92) -- Cayabyab 34, Azores 18, Zamora 10, Laude 9, Napiza 8, Lacap 7, Anacta 4, Mallari 0,  Ambohot 0, Salazar 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15, 60-40, 75-74, 98-92.