Montaña Pawnshop of Davao bowed to Laguna’s Team Bida 84-82 but drew some luck in the quotients as it arranged a finals duel with Cebu’s M. Lhuillier for the Mayor Rody-Vice Mayor Inday Sara Invitational basketball crown.
It all came down to the stats with each basket counting as Montaña, Bida and M. Lhuillier finished the eliminations with identical 2-1 win-loss slates. The Cebuanos topped the tie-breaker with a plus 12 quotient while Montaña managed to finish no. 2 with a plus 6 quotient. Bida had a minus 4 and will be relegated to playing third against the Pacman Warriors of Gen. Santos City.
“I think these are the two teams most people wanted to meet. Montaña may have the homecourt edge because it is the team from Davao but M. Lhuillier also has a lot of fans because of their exciting players,” said Bong Go, the Mayor’s executive assistant who was at courtside.
M. Lhuillier formalized its entry to the finals by drubbing Pacman Warriors 91-84 in Tuesday’s night-cap. Stephen Padilla once more displayed his vaunted firepower from beyond the arc as he came through with four triples for the night and a team-high 16 points. Frank Nailon had 14 while Marlon Basco and Ian Saladaga each had 12.
Team Bida made the standings a little complicated when it upset the Jewels earlier in the night. Ricky Ricafuente scattered four treys on the way to an 18-point output while Glenn Bolocon and Alfie Grijaldo played clean-up roles in the crucial fourth to preserve the reversal for the Drugbusters of Laguna. Francis Mercado had 13 for Laguna while Bolocon had 11.
The Jewels, who came back from a 50-38 deficit at the lemontime break to take the lead late in the third, were paced by Don-don Tadena with 18 while Ronald Lamocha had 17. For the second night, coach Nick Serafica used bean-pole center Fred Canlas sparingly. It was Canlas who triggered a Montaña uprising in the third period against M. Lhuillier in their first outing.
Against the same squad in the finals, everyone is speculating whether or not Canlas will be fielded by Serafica. The Cebuanos parade a strong front-line in the slamdunking Basco and the rugged Nailon along with Ariel Mepana and Abe Santos. The Jewels will also have to find a way to neutralize the sweet-shooting Padilla who had three triples in their first encounter. Padilla averages close to five triples a game, mostly thrown from the pro distance.
For the third straight playdate, Davao’s basketball-thirsty fans filled the Almendras Gym to the rafters, queuing up at the gates early despite the strict security checks.
Jewelers hand Pacman 2nd loss, M. Lhuillier downs Bida-Laguna
Will the real Pacman please stand up? Manny Pacquiao’s basketball franchise went down to another heartbreaking defeat and with two losses in as many games, you get to start thinking if the real Pacman should be suiting up for his team or can Freddie Roach can help its cause.
But this is basketball and this team may not have the speed and marksmanship of its owner in a close 84-80 overtime loss to the home squad Montaña Pawnshop on Monday night in the Mayor Rody-Vice Mayor Inday Sara 73rd Araw ng Dabaw Invitational basketball tournament.
Late in the night, Cebu’s M. Lhuillier turned back Team Bida of Laguna 91-75 to get back on track after an opening day loss and for the second playdate, fans filled the newly-refurbished Almendras Gym to the rafters reminiscent of the good old days.
Montaña’s sweet-shooting wingman Henry Fernandez fired 8 of the Jewels’ last 10 points in regulation but it was Don Tadena’s putback that sent the game into overtime. Pacman’s Louie Medalla showed a lot of spunk in the fourth period, firing 11 of his 18 points, including a booming triple that could have won it for Pacman.
The story in overtime was about experience and that was essayed well by Montaña’s veterans.
Speedy quarterback Michael Manigo broke Pacman’s swarming defense, regaled the crowd with several passes whipped from the blind side to Fernandez and Tadena as the Jewels survived the Warriors from Gen. Santos City who showed a lot of heart despite falling short of ammunition.
The second win shoved Montaña by the doorstep to the finals as it remained the only unbeaten team in this tournament organized under the supervision of the City Sports Development Division and the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP).
Laguna’s Team Bida, which stands for Batang Iwas Droga, led through the third canto but wilted under the heat of Lhuillier rifleman Stephen Padilla’s scorching triples. Padilla, a former PBA journeyman, fired 7 triples from way out of the amateur arc to lead the Cebuanos with 24 points. Crowd favorite Marlon Basco added 14 including a one-handed slam in the dying seconds while Mark Magsumbol, who celebrated his birthday a night before, and Ariel Mepana combined for 23.
The Drugbusters were paced by Robert Sanz with 15 while Leomar Losented added 13. Both Lhuillier and Bida tote a 1-1 win-loss slate and will need a win to at least tie for a finals berth. Lhuillier has a +12 quotient after 2 games while Bida has -6. That means Bida has to beat Montaña in the last day of eliminations and pray that Lhuillier lose to Pacman to earn a ticket to the finals. A win by Lhuillier coupled by a Bida loss will arrange a Montaña-Lhuillier finals.
A 3-way tie is possible if Montaña loses to Bida and Lhuillier wins over Pacman. In that case, the quotient system will be the decider. Montaña thus far holds a +8 quotient.
With the three franchises mathematically still in contention, Pacman will be relegated to the role of playing spoiler. It may not help its cause but it will surely rock the standings. A call from the real Pacman straight from Vegas may yet prick the pride of the franchise to go for one last crack at victory.
Whatever, expect a fight from the Pacman Warriors. Afterall, they do not cower like James Clottey. |
