MVBA Finals Game 2 today

A new rivalry is shaping up in the Philippine basketball landscape. The multi-titled M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Jewelers and the neophyte PacMan-GenSan are locked in combat for hoops supremacy in Southern Philippines.

The budding rivalry enters a new level as both teams slug it out today in Game 2 of the ML Kwarta Padala Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) First Conference best-of-five finals at the Cebu Coliseum starting at 6:00 pm.

Game 1 was being completed as of this writing last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Jewelers have one at almost every level in tournaments held here and abroad. The trophy case of team owner Michel Lhuillier and head Coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba is overflowing with hardware culled from almost three decades of running the team.

Formed a couple of years ago, PacMan of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao has slowly been amassing a trophy collection of its own, winning many tournaments in Mindanao under the guidance of the youthful Coach Ramon Pido.

Ever since the MVBA was formed in late 2005, both M. Lhuillier and PacMan have monopolized all the prizes given out by the fledgling community-based league made possible by ML Kwarta Padala, Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Nature's Spring Drinking Water, Gameface.ph, Panasonic, Molten and Sulpicio Lines.

PacMan took home the 1st MVBA Governor Gwen Garcia Cup last December 19 in Cebu City by shocking the Jewelers in the overtime finale, 91-88. That proved that PacMan's 86-80 triumph in the elimination round three days earlier was no fluke.

The Jewelers bounced back to annex the 1st MVBA Mayor Lawrence Cruz Cup in Iligan City last February 3 by whipping PacMan in the final day of the tourney, 79-69.

PacMan and M. Lhuillier disposed of the Iligan Archangels and Cebu Landmaster-Toledo, respectively, to cop their division championships.

Of course, whoever wins in the best-of-five series will be forever etched in history as the very first MVBA champion.

Game 3 will be in General Santos City on June 11 and if needed, Game 4 on June 13. June 16 is reserved for the possible winner-take-all Game 5 at the Cebu Coliseum.