Records mark Mantawi's rout of WNC in MVBA tilt

The MLSDF-Mantawi Traders gave the visiting West Negros College a rude welcome as they mangled the Mustangs, 82-55, in the ML Kwarta Padala Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) First Conference on Friday night at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.

Doroteo Almacin finished with 18 points followed by Randy Sevilla with 16 as the Traders evened their win-loss card to 2-2 in the league backed by ML Kwarta Padala, Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Nature's Spring Drinking Water, Panasonic, Molten and Sulpicio Lines.

The Mustangs were held off to a lone field goal by Ely Olarte in the first 15 minutes of the contest and Doroteo Almacin pumped in 11 markers to power the Traders of mayor Thadeo Ouano and coach Eddie Ybañez to an unassailable 33-2 advantage.

The Mustangs then countered with an 18-2 run behind Olarte's 12 markers to close in by 15 points, 20-35.

That was, however, the closest they could come as Mantawi's shock troopers began clean up operations early, restoring its 31-point edge entering the final two minutes of the game, 78-47.

Olarte set a new MVBA standard for individual points in a game with 33 but sorely lacked helped from his teammates.

Several other records were set in the one-sided match that saw the crowd leaving the bench with still 6:39 left to play as the outcome had already been settled.

The Mustangs' two points in the first quarter is a new low ditto with their total output of 55, the lowest score in a game. The Traders' 27-point winning advantage shattered the old mark of 18 set by Cebu Landmaster-Toledo over the Toyota-Iloilo Warriors, 83-65.

Mantawi's 23-0 run bridging the first and second quarters is also the longest rally in the fledgling league, so far.

West Negros, the reigning National Students champion, ends its three-game swing in Cebu Province today when it visits the Landmaster quintet of realtor Joe Soberano and coach Jun Tan at 5:30 pm at the Marcelo A. Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City.

This time, the Mustangs will have to contend with the likes of Alex Cainglet (11.5 ppg), Ronald Paraiso (10.8 ppg) and Bernie Ursal (11.0 ppg).