MisOr ekes out 97-94 win over MLKP, levels best-of-three at 1-1

Games December 17 - New Cebu Coliseum
4:00PM Christmas Cup Opening Ceremonies
4:30PM M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City vs. Tagaytay City
6:00PM Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue vs. Pagadian City

CEBU CITY -- Holcim Pryce Pharma-MisOr eked out a 97-94 win over defending champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Friday night at the New Cebu Coliseum to level the best-of-three 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference Finals at 1-1.

The winner-take-all third match was being played at press time last night. M. Lhuillier won Game One, 76-75, last December 12 at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City. The multi-titled Jewelers are gunning for their third MVBA crown in four conferences while MisOr is looking for a back-to-back after ruling this year’s First Conference of the league sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and bankrolled by ML Kwarta Padala, Nature’s Spring, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph and Nike Basketball.

Center Nat Cruz unloaded 12 points in the final quarter including eight out of 10 free throw attempts in the final 35 seconds to hold off the scorching M. Lhuillier comeback. With MisOr shakily on top, 94-91, Woodrow Enriquez opted to drive to the hoop and threaten for the last time with five seconds to play, 93-94. Cruz was quickly fouled but could only make one free throw for a 95-93 MisOr edge.

In the ensuing sequence, Cruz nearly turned goat as he fouled Jerry Cavan. After making his first attempt, Cavan would miss the potential equalizer and Cruz grabbed the defensive rebound plus a foul from Game One hero Ronald Capati. Cruz calmly sank both free throws for the final tally. With no timeouts left for Coach Raul Alcoseba, M. Lhuillier failed to put up a decent shot in the final two seconds of play.

MisOr controlled the entire second half after taking the lead at halftime on back-to-back baskets by Cruz and Frank Nailon, 42-40. Dennis Concha powered MisOr’s initial third period run capped by a three-point play by Ramil Tagupa that erected their biggest lead of the game, 62-50, at the 5:28 mark of the third.

Winning coach Bong Abad credited his players’ good shooting percentage and overall defensive effort that made up for their 20 turnovers versus the nine turnovers of M. Lhuillier. MisOr team owner Gov. Oscar Moreno hardly sat and paced the Coliseum stage for majority of the tense game that saw his wards shoot 34 out of 54 or 63% of their field goal attempts. On the other hand, M. Lhuillier made 30 of 65 attempts for 46%.

Cruz finished with 24 points. Mark Moreño came off the bench in the second period to pump in 11 of his 18 points. Anton Villoria added 15 and Concha 13. Enriquez led M. Lhuillier with 30 points followed by Stephen Padilla with 17 points off five triples. Jett Latonio chipped in 13 and Marlon Basco 11.

Meanwhile, the MVBA Christmas Cup will unveil on December 17 at the Coliseum with M. Lhuillier, MisOr, Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue, Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu and guest teams Pagadian City and Tagaytay City. The tournament will run until December 20 and offers big cash prizes to the winners.

How They Scored:

HOLCIM PRYCE-MISOR (97) - Cruz 24, Moreño 18, Villoria 15, Concha 13, Nailon 10, Tagupa 6, Sanchez 5, Abadia 4, Sevilla 2, Apepe 0, Jabagat 0.

M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (94) - Enriquez 30, Padilla 17, Latonio 13, Basco 11, Capati 9, Gatumbato 4, Cavan 4, Dacia 4, Aying 2, Caputolan 0, Rodriguez 0, Bat-og 0.

Period Scores: 17-19, 42-40, 73-66, 97-94.(Series tied, 1-1)
(Anthony E. Servinio)