Lhuillier beats Holcim, 75-62, wins MVBA crown

M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City is back as the No. 1 squad in southern Philippines by defeating Holcim Pryce Pharma-MisOr, 75-62, and capturing the 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference late Saturday evening at the New Cebu Coliseum. This marked the third championship in four conferences for the Jewelers of Michel Lhuillier and Coach Raul Alcoseba, taking the best-of-three series, 2-1, the league said Sunday. M. Lhuillier won Game One, 76-75. MisOr rebounded by taking Game Two, 97-94. The league added that unlike in the first two games that were decided in the final seconds, this time M. Lhuillier made sure the outcome would be settled early. From a 10-10 standoff in the first quarter, Finals Most Valuable Player Bruce Dacia teamed with gunner Stephen Padilla and big man Leo Bat-og in a 14-2 run that spanned also the second period en route to a comfortable 36-22 M. Lhuillier edge at halftime. MisOr's go-to guys Nat Cruz, Anton Villoria and Mark Moreño fell prey to M. Lhuillier's tenacious defense, as they had a hard time finding their groove. The usually prolific trio could only combine for 25 markers, with Cruz hitting only nine after tallying 20 and 24 in the first two games. Overall, only six players fielded by coach Bong Abad managed to score. Dacia began the second half with a triple and then added three free throws off back-to-back technical fouls on MisOr's bench for excessive complaining. Bat-og, using his experience to outplay MisOr's younger and taller centers, knocked in back-to-back stabs for M. Lhuillier's biggest lead of the game, 62-42, with still 6:28 to go in the third. It was smooth sailing from there as Dacia and Padilla made key final quarter baskets to hold off all of MisOr's attempts to cut the deficit. MVP Dacia finished with 18 points. Padilla followed with 16 off three triple. Averaging less than a point entering the game, Bat-og exploded for 12 points. Frank Nailon paced MisOr with 16 followed by Ramil Tagupa with 12. Fresh from their latest conquest, M. Lhuillier leads fellow MVBA squads MisOr, Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue and Arthro Kontran Arthritis and guest teams from Tagaytay City and Zamboanga City in the six-team, four-day MVBA Christmas Cup starting Monday at the Coliseum. M. Lhuillier battles Tagaytay in the opener at 4:30 p.m. followed by Landmaster's duel with Zamboanga at 6 p.m. A simple opening ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. Scores: M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (75) - Dacia 18, Padilla 16, Batg-og 12, Enriquez 8, Capati 8, Cavan 5, Basco 4, Latonio 2, Gatumbato 1, Caputolan 1, Aying 0. HOLCIM PRYCE-MISOR (62) - Nailon 16, Tagupa 12, Villoria 11, Concha 9, Cruz 9, Moreño 5, Numeran 0, Abadia 0, Jabagat 0, Sanchez 0, Sevilla 0. Quarters: 17-12, 36-22, 58-46, 75-63. (M. Lhuillier wins series, 2-1) - GMANews.TV