Cebu Niños win Liga Mindanao pre-season games

CEBU - The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños streaked past Montana Pawnshop of Davao, 91-85, to rule the Mindanao pre-season games of the Smart-Liga Pilipinas Second Conference the other night in Bangangga, Davao del Norte.

The Niños of team owner Michel J. Lhuillier and decorated coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba , who swept all four legs en route to claiming the First Conference title of Liga last month, barged into the final after escaping past the gritty Misamis Oriental (MisOr) Metros of Gov. Oscar Moreno, 77-72.

The Niños actually finished as second seed at the end of the classification round with a 2-1 win-loss record. They beat MisOr via a 67-66 cliffhanger and Lipa-Batangas Barakos, 92-72, but bowed to Montana Pawnshop, 78-82.

The Niños will host the Visayas swing of the Liga pre-season games on November 13 to 16 at the Cebu Coliseum. Aside from Lipa and MisOr, also joining in are Taguig-Batang Global and Smart-Pampanga Buddies.

The Second Conference of Liga Pilipinas is set to kick off on November 20.—EBV (THE FREEMAN)