Tribu Sugbu rules in Valencia

The Skygo/Sirlitz-backed Tribu Sugbu scored a vengeful 73-62 victory over the Valencia Golden Harvest to bag the 5th Day Charter Open Invitational Basketball Tournament on Monday night at the Valencia City gym.

Gunners Alex Cainglet and reigning NBC Most Improved Player Doroteo Almacin combined for 32 points to lead the inaugural NBC national champion to its second title in a row.

Last month, the ballclub of Cebuano businessmen Lito Gillamac and Mario King won the first leg of the Nature's Spring-NBC Pre-season series billed as "Cong. Ronaldo Puno Cup" in Antipolo.

The Tribesmen made sure this time there would be no repeat of Valencia's monumental 70-67 come-from-behind win at the end of the tournament's classifiation round.

The Tribesmen bungled a huge 17-point lead in the pay-off period to taste their only defeat in the five-day tourney supported by Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Molten and Prime Channel.

"It was an all-team effort. This is a fitting follow-up to our title win in Antipolo last month,," Tribu Sugbu coach Al Solis said.

"We have scouted well Valencia after we lost the other day. We were able to limit our errros. The big difference though is the hearts of the players. They have the heart of a champion and they hate losing," added Solis.

Solis was the hands-down choice as coach of the tournament, while Almacin, who averaged 16.8 points, copped the Most Valuable Player award. Almacin was joined in by teammates Christian Nicdao and Ronald Bucao and North Cotabato's Marvin Martinez and Pagadian's Ping Daja in the Mythical Five.

Earlier, expansion team Pagadian Explorers of Mayor Sammy Co nipped the North Cotabato Braves, 78-76, to finish third.

First game

Pagadian (78) - Sinco 16, Naron 12, Isidro 11, Coldura 9, Saludsod 8, Dayota 6, Quilo 5, Ayuk 4, Daja 3, Marata 2, Singidas 2

North Cotabato (76) -Ligue 22, Coronado 11, Clar 10, Reyes 9, Martinez 9, Jawod 6, Dagatan 4, Biñas 3, Cabañog 2

Quarterscores: 16-21, 40-36, 62-53, 78-76

Second game

Tribu Sugbu (73) - Cainglet 20, Almacin 12, Nicdao 11, Ursal 10, Ducay 8, Yabut 5, Bucao 2, Sevilla 2, Calo 2, Mercado 1

Valencia (62) - Cruz 12, Clavel 10, Braga 9, Navales 8, Ayson 6, Berami 5, Cabili 5, Taligatos 4, Numeran 3

Quarterscores: 23-16, 39-37, 60-54, 73-62 (with NBC Media Bureau)