M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City clinched its third Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Visayas Division title by beating Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue last December 7 at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.(CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
Game December 12 - Xavier University Gym
6:00PM Holcim Pryce Pharma-MisOr vs. M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City(MVBA Finals, Game One)
MANDAUE CITY - M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City retained the Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Visayas Division championship by outplaying archrival Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue, 73-65, Friday at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex. The Jewelers thus swept the best-of three series, 2-0. They won Game One in overtime, 89-86, last Wednesday at the New Cebu Coliseum.
The win marks M. Lhuillier’s third Visayas Division crown in four conferences thus far of the league sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and bankrolled by ML Kwarta Padala, Nature’s Spring, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph and Nike Basketball. The partnership of Michel Lhuillier and Coach Raul Alcoseba now shoots for their third MVBA title.
The best-of-three MVBA Finals between M. Lhuillier and Mindanao Division champion Holcim Pryce Pharma-MisOr of Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Bong Abad will commence on December 12 at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City. Game Two will be at the Cebu Coliseum on December 14. If needed, Game Three will be played immediately on December 15, still at the Cebu Coliseum.
With team owner Joe Soberano and Mayor Jonas Cortes in attendance, Landmaster under Coach Jun Tan started hot with Bong Marata scoring 14 of the team’s first 16 points for a 16-12 lead. Suddenly, Marata pulled a leg muscle and never returned to the game. M. Lhuillier capitalized by knotting the count after one quarter, 22-22. The M. Lhuillier defense went to work and limited Landmaster to only nine points in the second period. Still, Landmaster held a shaky 31-30 edge until Bruce Dacia scored six of the half’s final eight points to push the Jewelers on top for good, 38-31.
Dacia then joined Ronald Capati, Stephen Padilla and Woodrow Enriquez in giving M. Lhuillier its biggest lead of the contest, 57-39, late in the third canto. A triple by Mike Manigo, his only points in the game, put Landmaster closer entering the final period, 42-57.
Just like in Game One, M. Lhuillier allowed Landmaster to claw back with Harold Santa Cruz cutting the deficit to as low as six points with 11 seconds to play, 63-69. In the ensuing play, Jerry Cavan sank two free throws to ice the game, 71-63. Mark Yee and Enriquez exchanged baskets for the final tally.
Dacia led M. Lhuillier’s charge with 18 points and in the process cop the Most Valuable Player award for the Visayas Division. Dacia averaged a team-best 13.8 points in the tournament. Capati followed with 17 points. Yee topped Landmaster with 24 markers.
How They Scored:
M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (73) - Dacia 18, Capati 17, Enriquez 8, Gatumbato 7, Padilla 6, Caputolan 5, Basco 3, Cavan 3, Aying 2, Latonio 2, Bat-og 2.
CEBU LANDMASTER-MANDAUE (65) - Yee 24, Marata 14, Saladaga 10, Santa Cruz 6, Nicdao 4, Manigo 3, Ocañada 2, Gloria 2, Montalbo 0, Abellanosa 0, Mangubat 0. Period Scores: 22-22, 38-31, 57-42, 73-65.(M. Lhuillier wins series, 2-0)
(Anthony E. Servinio)
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