TAGUIG – M.L. Kwarta Padala-Cebu etched its name in the history books by masterfully ruling the maiden season of the 2008 Smart-Liga Pilipinas Finals Thursday, routing Harbour Centre-Taguig, 107-91, in Game Three at the C.P. Tinga gym here.
The Ninos, who dominated in Cebu the first two games of the best-of-five championship series sponsored by Rexona, Accel, Burlington, Molten, Metathione, Nature Spring, Pagcor Sports and Laptop Phoneshop, completed the sweep with a deadly combination of outside firepower and scorching fast break plays.
"This is history, that's why the boys are really inspired," said Cebu coach Yayoy Alcoseba, whose team is expected to mobbed by their followers back home. "This is for the Cebu fans and the Senor Sto. Nino."
Alcoseba said the Ninos had a brief anxious moments in the third quarter when the Batang Global went on a zone defense.
"But we were able to make the necessary adjustments," Alcoseba said.
Ron Capati led Cebu with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Both teams shot well, but Cebu dominated the boards, 40-29, the transition game, 17 points to nine.
The Batang Global came home hoping to extend the series and force a winner-take-all Game 5. Instead they were manhandled in their own backyard and in front of their hometown crowd.
Taguig sliced a 15-point deficit to 78-67 halfway in the fourth quarter, but Danny Aying and Stephen Padilla buried consecutive triples of their own to stop the Batang Global cold on their tracks.
Padilla had two three-point shots in a pivotal 12-2 run as Cebu turned a 6-5 deficit into a 17-8 lead in the first quarter.
Coming off the bench, Jayford Rodriguez then hit two free throws for the Ninos late in the period for a 22-12 advantage and the Taguig Global were not to come closer than five points the rest of the first half.
A Marvin Ortiguerra reverse layup moved Taguig within 36-31 with 1:42 remaining, but the Ninos had four points to wrap up the quarter, giving them the momentum they needed for the breakaway third quarter.
Cebu shot better from the field in the first half, and the Ninos' collected 12 points to the Batang Globals' three from beyond the three-point range.
Aying accounted for Cebu's third 3-pointer against the zone-playing Batang Global.
Two free throws by Bruce Dacia after Taguig was penalized for excessive complaining during the break gave Cebu an 11-point lead even before second half action resumed, with the Ninos padding the advantage to 48-33 four minutes into the quarter.
Taguig cut the deficit to 49-41, but the Ninos were not to be denied their place in history as the regional tournament's maiden champion.
Scores:
CEBU 107 – Capati 17, Aying 16, Padilla 13, Rodriguez 13, Dacia 11, Saladaga 10, Cavan 8, Tangkay 6, Ababon 5, Mepana 4, Enriquez 3, Berame 1, Bucao 0.
TAGUIG 91 – Rodriguez 21, Ortiguerra 16, Marquez 14, Gatumbato 9, Bautista 9, Matias 8, Aldave 6, Bombeo 3, Latoreno 3, Reguerra 2, Vejandre 0.
Quarters: 25-17; 40-31; 69-57; 107-91
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