Blu caps amazing comeback, cops title

CEBU CITY – Blu All Purpose completed a dramatic comeback in the series, edging Montana Pawnshop, 77-73, Tuesday night to cop the PBL-CBF Dual Meet II crown before a sizeable crowd at the University of San Carlos Gym here.

Adjudged MVP Marlon Legaspi and ex-pro Mike Garcia provided the firepower with 13 points apiece as the Detergent Kings, this year’s Chairman’s Cup runner-up, claimed their third pre-season title.

"We just kept our cool when Montana tried to pull away," said Blu coach Leo Isaac, who almost rushed home to Manila after his eight-year-old daughter Cocoi was confined at the Makati Medical Center due to viral infection.

Garcia and Legaspi sparked Blu’s comeback after Montana led by as many as 11 points three times, the last at 50-39 when Jenkins Mesina fueled a 9-3 run early in the third quarter.

Legaspi, skipper Erick dela Cuesta and Lou Gatumbato then unloaded a 22-9 bomb that saw the Detergent Kings seizing a 61-59 edge a minute and a half past the final period.

A basket by Sunday Salvacion and a triple by Gary David, who torched the Regent-Shark Cheeseballs with 18 points on their way to a first ever finals appearance, gave back the lead to the Jewelers, 64-61.

But it was to be Montana’s last show of force as the Detergent Kings held down the Jewellers to just a field goal and seven free throws in the final six minutes of play.

Legaspi and Gatumbato had five points each in the last canto but it was Melchor Latoreno who delivered the telling blows.

Substituting for Allan Gamboa, who was slapped an unsportsmanlike foul on a driving David, with a little over two minutes to go, Latoreno hit a key baseline jumper and a foul shot that capped Blu’s stirring comeback after starting out with a 1-3 slate.

In the other game, Regent-Shark survived a ferocious rally by Cebuana Lhuillier as it pulled off an 82-75 triumph to clinch third place.

A huge third quarter run lit by Gerald Ortega and Ernani Epondulan was all the Cheeseballs needed in knocking out the Gems, who were led by Stephen Padilla’s 20 markers.