Cebu eyes third leg triumph; Quezon hosts week five

CEBU EYES THIRD LEG TRIUMPH;

QUEZON HOSTS WEEK FIVE

Games on July 16

(Quezon)

3 p.m. – Baguio vs. Ilocos Sur

5 p.m. – Misamis Oriental vs. Quezon

(Cebu)

3 p.m. – Pampanga vs. Zamboanga

5 p.m. – Laguna vs. Cebu

CEBU, July 15 – The Cebu Ninos, momentarily eclipsed from top of the standings by the dazzling Pagadian Explorers, seek to reclaim solo leadership when they host Wednesday the southern leg of Week 5 of the Liga Pilipinas Tour elimination phase at the New Cebu Coliseum.

The M.L. Kwarta Padala-backed double-leg winners, currently ranked second in the qualification round with 20 points behind the idle Explorers, take on the Trace Laguna Stallions at the featured game at 5 p.m. following the curtain-raiser pitting the Pampanga Buddies, champions in Week 2, against the Zamboanga Amores.

Over at the Quezon Convention Center, the Baguio Victory clash with the Ilocos Sur Bravehearts at 3 p..m., while the Misamis Oriental Meteors collide with the host Quezon Red Oilers at 5 p.m.

With two first place finishes and a runnerup showing, the Explorers pace the field with 29 points, gathering momentum for their quarterfinal drive.

Close behind Cebu at third are the Taguig Batang Global with 23 points, Pampanga, 4^th with 20 points, Lipa-Batangas, (5^th/17 pts.), Ilocos Sur (6^th/12 pts.), Tagaytay-Cavite (7^th/12 pts), Baguio (8^th/10 pts.), Misamis Oriental (9^th/9 pts.), Laguna (10^th/4 pts), Zamboanga (11^th/3 pts.), Iloilo (12^th/3 pts.), and Quezon (13^th/2 pts.)

Based on Tour points at the end of the qualification round, the top four teams will advance to the quarterfinal, while the next eight teams undergo a wildcard showdown, with the 5^th- to the 8^th-ranked squad enjoying a twice-to-beat advantage.

A leg winner earns 10 points on top of its won game bonus (1 point per win), the runnerup gets five, and the third placer three points.

Pagadian ruled the Misamis Oriental and Zamboanga legs, while Cebu was tops in the Ilocos Sur and Pagadian stages. Taguig, Pampanga, and Lipa-Batangas emerged winners after respectively playing hosts in their hometowns.

In the Week 1 finals, Pagadian routed Baguio, 63-49 in Misamis Oriental, while Cebu downed host Ilocos Sur, 98-78.

In Week 2, Pampanga edged Tagaytay-Cavite in a championship thriller, 78-77, while Week 3 saw Cebu denying Pagadian at home in the title game, 72-67, and Taguig defending the fort, 81-75, against invading Pampanga.

Lipa defeated Tagaytay-Cavite, 81-72, in the final of Week 4 in Batangas, and Pagadian shelled Taguig, 83-56, in Zamboanga.