The Traders of mayor Thadeo Ouano and coach Eddie Ybañez trailed the gritty Warriors for the first three periods until Joseph Guangco, Leodi Garcia and the 6-foot7- Rino Berame starred in a crushing 14-4 run to begin the fourth period and put the Traders on top for good with 5:41 to play, 68-62.
The last time the Traders had the upper hand was in the opening minutes when they led, 4-2. The Warriors managed to lead by as much as 11 points midway in the second period, 31-20.
Iloilo's Rhagnee Sinco scored to threaten for the last time at the 2:07 mark, 71-73, but Guangco dashed their hopes with a triple in the ensuing play for a 76-71 Mantawi lead with 1:19 left in the game.
Costly turnovers and missed shots sealed the Warriors, fate with Berame and Garcia settling the final tally from the foul line.
The win was Mantawi's first in three starts, while the Warriors absorbed their third straight loss in as many games in the league sponsored by ML Kwarta Padala, Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Nature's Spring Drinking Water, Molten, Panasonic and Sulpicio Lines.
Guangco led the Traders with 21 points followed by Berame with 15, 10 of which he poured in the final period.
Eldrin Senieres led all scorers with 27, while Paul Poral chipped in 20 markers, but no other Warrior could come up with twin digit scores.
The Warriors will end their Cebu swing today when they test the Cebu Landmasters-Toledo of realtor Joe Soberano at the Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City.
The Warriors were locked in combat with the undefeated Visayas Division leader M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Jewelers as of this writing last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Landmasters of coach Jun Tan will parade frontline aces Leo Bat-og (10.0 ppg) and Bernie Ursal (11.3 ppg) and the prolific backcourt of Alex Cainglet (12.1 pgg) and Ronald Paraiso (12.1 ppg) to defend their turf.