M. Lhuillier subdues MisOr in Digos hoop

The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Jewelers unleashed a spirited endgame assault to turn back Misamis Oriental, 86-80, in the 6th Araw ng Digos Mayor's Cup Invitational Basketball Tournament in Digos, Davao del Sur.

The Cebu Jewelers of head coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba were trailing most of the way until they caught fire in the closing minutes and turned the game around with their great team effort and heavy bombardments from the field.

Flashy pointguard Woodrow Enriquez and long-range bombers Stephen Padilla, Aldrin Ocañada and Jet Latonio gave the Jewelers the needed push in the face of imminent danger.

Enriquez topped M. Lhuillier with 20 points followed by Padilla with 16 markers. Ocañada and Latonio chipped in 12 apiece, while Ardy Larong and Mike Manigo combined for 17 points.

The Jewelers had a sluggish start and the MisOr chargers grabbed the opportunity to dictate the tempo of the match and race to a 16-point advantage at halftime, 53-37.

MisOr was still ahead by eight after three quarters, 70-62, but collapsed under the renewed challenge mounted by the Jewelers in the payoff canto where they held off the Mindanao cagers to only 10 points while unloading 24 in that tide-turning rampage.

Mark Apepe topscored for MisOr of coach Rex Salvaña with 22 points, while ex-pro Gilbert Demape added 18 points in a losing cause.

The scores

M. Lhuillier (86) - Enriquez 20, Padilla 16, Ocañada 12, Latonio 12, Larong 9, Manigo 8, Piodo 6, Caputolan 3

MisOr (80) - Apepe 22, Demape 18, Villoria 12, Mendoza 11, Alfeche 7, Jabagat 4, Sagad 2, Numeran 2, Barbosa 2 Quarterscores:21-28, 37-53, 62-70, 86-80