CEBU, Philippines - High-flying forward Bruce Dacia delivered a fantastic performance worthy of an MVP award, while Richard Ian Saladaga provided an added spark as the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños trounced the stubborn Trace-Laguna Stallions, 88-74, to snatch the Cebu leg title of Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference 3 last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
Although the Niños of team owner Michel J. Lhuillier and decorated coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba won by 14 points, the final outcome did not speak of their hard struggle before they scaled the summit of success.
This is because when they were about to break the game wide open on two occasions, the hosts were slapped with two technical fouls that set up a spirited comeback by the Stallions.
After they built a 13-point edge, 60-47, on back-to-back triples by Marlon Basco and Woodrow Enriquez, Franklin Nailon was called for a technical foul for unsportsmanlike behavior with 2:12 left in the second period.
In the ensuing play, the Stallions scored on a nine-point swing to trim the deficit down to only four points, 56-60.
The Niños regained a 15-point advantage, 77-62, but Abby Santos was whistled for a technical off his disqualifying foul for excessive complaining with 5:41 left in the game. Fortunately for the hosts, the Stallions could only manage four points off that emotional flaw courtesy of free throws by Gerwin Gaco and Ricky Ricafuente.
The Niños maintained double-digit leads from that point onwards, thanks to a spate of misfired attempts by the Stallions at the moment they needed badly to score.
“I encouraged my players beforehand that we should have a good start because during the previous conference, we lost in the opening leg. I told them we badly need to win at home so we could gain back our confidence,” said Alcoseba.
Dacia almost had an impeccable outside snipting. He finished with 26 points on top of four rebounds, four assists and a block. He shot 9-of-13 from the field spiked with three triples to cop the leg MVP honors.
Saladaga finished with 19 points, including 11 in a fiery third quarter uprising, while Enriquez chipped in 11 markers for the Niños, who dedicated their victory to Ramon Alcoseba, a member of their coaching staff who turned 31 years old last Friday.
Gaco topped the Stallions with 13 points followed by Rom Capati with 12 and Alex Angeles with 11. . (THE FREEMAN)