Knights close in on MBA crown

The San Juan Knights moved to within a game of clinching the national championships of the Metropolitan Basketball Association with a 3-2 lead over the Negros Slashers and are now heavily-fancied to capture it as the best-of-seven series shifts back to the San Juan gym on Saturday.

The Knights gained a 3-2 lead in the tumultuous series after the Negros Slashers opted to concede Game 5. The Knights led, 87-65, in the chaotic match before play was halted by a debris-throwing incident in Bacolod Sunday.

The game was scheduled to be played behind closed doors at an undisclosed venue last night, with the clock reset at 11:38 of the fourth quarter, but the Slashers announced they were conceding the game.

They earlier decided to protest the decision ordering both teams to play the unfinished portion of the game, but the Slashers later made a softer stand.

"To concede was one option for Negros and there was no harm or unnecessary expenses incurred by the league with the team’s decision to concede, so there will be no fines imposed on the team. It’s a different story if they defaulted," said MBA commissioner Ogie Narvasa.

He said the team would have been slapped a hefty P500,000 for defaulting if it did not inform the league of its decision to concede and left San Juan and league officials waiting in vain at the specified venue.

With the crucial 3-2 advantage, the Knights hope to wrap up the crown with a win Saturday although they still have a second chance to do so on homecourt if they lose to the Slashers in Game 6.

The Slashers lost the first two games at the San Juan gym, but levelled the series at 2-2 at the University of St. La Salle gym. The fifth game, also at USLS, was won by the Knights when the Slashers conceded.

At least, the Slashers will play the Knights Saturday with the 6-3 Cid White, who was suspended for one game, in tow. Top guards Reuben dela Rosa and Alvin Teng, who were injured Sunday, will also be back on the Negros lineup.