Slashers hack Amigos, gain lead

DAVAO CITY– RCPI Negros took the fight out of Cagayan de Oro right in the first quarter and went on to score an 83-62 rout yesterday in the MBA First Conference at the RMC Gym here.

Banking on superior field goal shooting, the Slashers stormed ahead at 30-11 and coasted along to their sixth win in eight outings that gave them the provisional lead in the Southern Conference.

Cebuana Lhuillier holds a 5-2 win-loss record and will share top spot if it beats Professional Davao (5-3) in the second game which was being played at presstime.

Already out of contention with a 1-7 card, the Amigos simply lost their will to fight after sinking only 10 of their 33 field goal attempts in the first half.

The Slashers took the half at 43-29 and went on to prove that their 84-83 conquest of the Casino Cagayan de Oro Amigos on April 25 at the Mindanao Polytechnic Gym was no fluke.

The Slashers sustained their searing first-half attack and left no doubts as to the outcome by moving beyond recall, 64-39, at the end of the third quarter.

Cagayan de Oro dropped to the cellar at 1-8.

Power forward Carlo Espiritu earned best player honors after finishing with 13 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal for the Slashers.

Yesterday’s games will be shown over National Broadcasting Network 4 from 6 to 11 p.m. today.

The MBA will stage a doubleheader at the Lipa Cultural Center tomorrow.

Olongapo meets Pampanga at 1 p.m. while Osaka Pangasinan faces LBC Batangas at 3:30 p.m.