Montana faces M. Lhuillier in finals

Montana faces M. Lhuillier in finals


Montana 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 Montana, 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 Montana 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. Montana 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 nightcap. 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 Dondon Tadena with 18 while Ronald Lamocha had 17. For the second night, coach Nick Serafica used beanpole center Fred Canlas sparingly. It was Canlas who triggered a Montana 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 frontline in the slam-dunking 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. (pr)