M. Lhuillier fends off MisOr to rule 1st MVBA Christmas Cup cagefest

The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Jewelers banked on the endgame heroics of big men Bruce Dacia and Marlon Basco to ward off Holcim-Moneygram MisOr, 101-94, and clinch the championship of the 1st Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Christmas Cup last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

It was the second straight title for the Jewelers in just five days, having won the 2007 MVBA Second Conference last Saturday also at the Coliseum.

Dacia and Basco connived for 17 points in the final quarter highlighted by crucial hits that quelled repeated rallies by MisOr. Dacia posted a game-high tying 16 points, while Basco chipped 11 markers capped by two straight follow-up baskets that gave M. Lhuillier a 91-82 breather with 2:29 left to play.

In the ensuing sequence, Dacia hit two free throws to restore M. Lhuillier’s double-digit lead, 93-82, entering the final two-minute zone of the contest.

MisOr threatened for the last time, 88-93, on back-to-back triples by Ramil Tagupa with a minute remaining as Basco and Dacia conspied on a four-point swing before Stephen Padilla went 4-of-4 from the foul line in the last 22 seconds to settle the final count.

“It’s good season for MVBA. The champion in the First Conference was from Mindanao, while the champion in the Second Conference is from the Visayas. MisOr has been in the finals three times already and it only shows how strong a team they are,” said M. Lhuillier coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba in giving due credit to the gallant effort by MisOr.

“We’re looking forward to the Liga Ng Pilipinas next year,” added Alcoseba moments after streering the Jewelers to the P100,000 grand prize and their third crown in four MVBA conferences.

Cat-quick playmaker Woodrow Enriquez had 16 points even as five other M. Lhuillier players cashed in twin figures. Padilla scored 15, Ronald Capati 14 and Gerry Cavan 11 for the Jewelers, who stormed to a 9-0 start.

With an almost perfect offensive, M. Lhuillier raised its lead to 13 points, 27-14, but MisOr replied with a 9-0 blitz to pull within, 25-27. MisOr kept its sizzling counter-attack to forge a 37-all deadlock before Wresting the driver’s seat for the first time, 40-39, with 1:50 before halftime.

Several lead changes ensued and MisOr was on top for the last time, 59-58, as M. Lhuillier took complete command after gaining a four-point headway at the end of the third canto, 71-67.

Prior to that, tension flared when M. Lhuillier’s Leo Bat-og and MisOr’s Jerome Numeran traded punches following a rebound scuffle. They were both thrown out of the game with 22 seconds to go in the third.

Cavan greeted the last quarter with a 3-pointer for a 74-67 M. Lhuillier lead, it was an all-Jewelers show the rest of the way, with Dacia and Basco taking turns in delivering the knockout blows on MisOr.

MisOr, which took home P50,000, was paced by Tagupa with 24 points followed by ex-pro Lowell Briones with 22. Rock Sanchez had 16 points and Franklin Nailon 15 in a losing cause.

The scores

M. Lhuillier (101) - Dacia 16, Enriquez 16, Padilla 15, Capati 14, Cavan 11, Basco 11, Aying 8, Bat-og 5, Gatumbato 3, Latonio 2

Holcim Moneygram (94) - Tagupa 24, Briones 22, Sanchez 16, Nailon 15, Sevilla 6, Apepe 5, Moreño 4, Jabagat 2

Quarterscores:29-25, 49-47,71-67, 101-94