Los Jefes de Cebu ends four-year hex, dethrones Heneral Santos to win PAL Intersports cage title

Living up to their promise, the gutsy Los Jefes de Cebu cagers regained the basketball crown they previously won four years ago after dethroning Los Hermanos de Heneral Santos, 61-48, in their knockout finals at the close of the 28th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Intersports over the weekend at the Iloilo City Sports Complex. "Mission accomplished," was the message of team capatin Chester Cokaliong to Los Jefes de Cebu president Edgar Chiongbian after Los Jefes seized back the crown it last won in 2001 via a masterful 5-0 sweep.

"I was relieved although I never had any doubts the team will win. We've been practicing for the past three months and I'm happy that our efforts paid off," added Cokaliong, who fired 37 points spiked with 10 triples in their 96-67 shellacking of Bomberos de Davao that sent them to the championship round.

Cokaliong scored only three points in the finals as he was sparingly used by head coach Elmer "Boy" Cabahug considering that the dreaded streak-shooter was already worn out with their game against Bomberos de Davao being held earlier in the day.

Enrico Espinosa and Misael Arias, who did not play in the semis, were commissioned by Cabahug to carry out scoring cudgels in the finals and the two responded to the challenge with aplomb.

Espinosa topped Los Jefes de Cebu with 20 points, while Arias contributed 10 markers, most of them coming from spectacular moves in the closing minutes of the game where Los Hermanos de Heneral Santos suffered a monumental collapse.

Los Hermanos de Heneral Santos was actually in fighting mood at the outset and even took a 16-13 lead, but that was its only bright spot as Espinosa incited a daring fightback by Los Jefes de Cebu in the second canto to change the course of the match in favor of the Cebuano hoopsters at halftime, 34-29.

Los Jefes de Cebu kept its slim five-point lead at the end of the third period, 44-39, before knocking off defending champion Los Hermanos de Heneral Santos with a blistering 17-9 attack in the windup to seal the 13-point romp.

Joseph Paul Maninang was also credited for his solid defense in the fourth quarter, including a crucial block that negated a comeback attempt by Heneral Santos.

Before rolling into the finals, Los Jefes de Cebu completed a three-game elimination sweep with a winning margin of 30.33 points per game, whipping Cagayan de Oro Executives, 90-81, Los Caballeros de Zamboanga, 128-77, and Los Amigos de Iloilo, 88-57.

The other members of Los Jefes de Cebu champion team are Zotico "Tuco" Tan, Hermogenes "Ancing" Anciado, Gilbert Gajudo, Esteban Cesar Ortega, Remberto Lawas, Leo Manulat, Reynaldo Abarquez, Joseph Paul Maninang, Geno Mario Naron, Christopher Cabaltera, and Ferdinand Pineda.

SEMIFINALS
Los Jefes de Cebu (96) - Cokaliong 37, Maninang 12, Naron 10, Cabaltera 9, Espinosa 6, Ortega 5, Gajudo 5, Anciado 4, Tan 2, Manulat 2, Lawas 2, Arias 2 Bomberos de Davao (67) - Diano 14, Martinez 11, Cruz 10, Demosta 9, Te 8, Casas 6, Chiong 5, Te 4

CHAMPIONSHIP
Los Jefes de Cebu (61) - Espinosa 20, Arias 10, Naron 8, Ortega 6, Cabaltera 4, Abarquez 4, Cokaliong 3, Maninang 3, Lawas 3
Los Hermanos de Heneral Santos (48) - Dayonot 12, Bascones 10, Quirante 8, Roble 4, Santos 4, Damalerio 3, Cabalhin 3, Allera 2, Carde 2