Perfect Liga Pilipinas record within Niños' reach

The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Cebu Ninos crushed the Quezon Red Oilers, 75-61, as the Super Leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III began Tuesday at the New Cebu City Coliseum in the “Queen City of the South". Behind Bruce Dacia and Ariel Mepana’s stellar plays, the Niños overcame a slow start with a huge second quarter run before leading by as much as 22 points to open their bid for a second national title on a winning note. Aside from the win, the host squad stretched their unbeaten mark to 17 games to move four games closer of finishing this four-month tournament not only with a championship but also a perfect record. This one-week tournament calls for a single-round format with the top team gaining an outright entry into Sunday’s championship game. Teams that finished second and third will collide in a one-game playoff to determine the other finalist. Dacia, who once played in the professional ranks, led the way for the Niños with 14 points while Mepana, a former cager of local collegiate powerhouse University of the Visayas, hit 11 points in just 13 minutes. Both were ably supported by Conference I most valuable player (MVP) Marlon Basco’s 10 points and seven rebounds while speedy guard Woodraw Enriquez contributed nine points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Red Oilers guard Luis Palaganas led all scorers with 20 points in a losing cause. Cebu's win came after reigning titlist Misamis Oriental Meteors staged a fourth quarter run to defeat the Smart Pampanga Buddies, 70-62. Former Adamson Falcon Patrick Cabahug was spectacular offensively but it was the duo of Melvin Mamaclay and Mark Moreno who helped the Meteors rally from a seven-point third quarter deficit to also brighten their quest of regaining the crown. Down 55-48, entering the final canto after two consecutive baskets by Pampanga's Jonathan Aldave, Moreno came in with four consecutive points to pull within 55-54 before Mamaclay delivered the go-ahead trey with 7:04 remaining. Another Mamaclay triple pushed MisOr's lead to 62-57 before a jumper by lefty guard Ramil Tagupa made it 66-59 with 4:04 to go. Cabahug led the way with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting while center Erian Daja added 12 points and five boards. Moreno, a former West Negros College standout, made four points, four rebounds and two assists while Mamaclay added six markers. Hans Thiele topscored for the Buddies with 14 points and four rebounds while Fil-Am Allen Husted and Aldave tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively. – GMANews.TV