Mawin's Kitchenette chalks up lucky nine in JS Contractors tilt

CEBU, Philippines - Mawin’s Kitchenette of team owners Maia Adriatico and Sherwin Lequit nosed out Soil Guard of Ronald Caballes, 94-88, to extend their unbeaten streak to nine and earn an outright finals berth in the JS Contractors Cup 2009 basketball tournament at the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Gym in Brgy. Punta Princesa, this city.

Mawin’s trailed by 13 points early on, 15-28, but Mat Vallejo and Lequit sparked a blistering 24-11 rally that helped them square the count at halftime, 39-all.

Soil Guard regained a shaky 69-65 edge entering the fourth period and protected it for most of the way until Vallejo completed a three-point play to give Mawin’s its first taste of the lead, 90-88, with a minute left to play.

Since then, Soil Guard could no longer execute one good offensive play as it was hobbled by a spate of costly errors.

Mawin’s scored four more points out of Soil Guard’s miscues to stay perfect at 9-0. They will face next the winner of the playoff match between the Victor Village and Ritchie for the championship next Sunday

Ritchie forged a rubbermatch after gunning down the twice-to-beat Victor Village, 85-71.

The scores

First game                

Mawin’s (94) - Eleazar 28, Vallejo 24, S. Lequit 11, Taborada 10, Sanding 10, Duane 3, Pineda 2, Caburnay 2, Lequit 2, Empenado 2

Soil Guard (88) - Caparoso 28, R. Saberon 26, Castanares 14, Abastillas 12, L. Saberon 4, Ragas 2, Hermino 2

Second game

Ritchie (85) - Gonzales 20, Paguntalan 19, Pagara 14, Jayme 10, Emecillo 8, Padigos 4, Canencia 4, Tojoy 2, Lecaros 2, Poblete 2

V. Village (71) - Rabadon 18, Empenado 18, T. Carungay 16, Belocura 11, Sotes 4, J. Carungay 2, Jordan 2 (GGM)    (FREEMAN NEWS)